Harry Potter The Gamer Reborn
by Silverrosestorm
Summary: Dont Fear the Reaper" challenge, by user Reptilia28 - Harry dies and is given another go, but he is given not only his memories but something else to help him through. he and his soul mate are granted the ability to treat life like a video game. Written for NaNoWriMo 2017
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: i own nothing but this craziness that is not cannon. i make no money on this.

AN: Hi there! So i'm writing this as my NaNoWriMo 2017 project. Just to let you know, the only things i have done before posting this is a quick grammar and spelling check... otherwise this is a what you read is 1st draft... I will be posting up whatever I have for each day, this was day 1 work. I am posting today as i am more alive after sleeeep. i was in a midnight performance of The Rocky horror Show, then had to work... so sleep was very much needed. Anyways... here you are, and hope you enjoy!

Dont Fear the Reaper" challenge, by user Reptilia28

*) Harry is killed at 17 during the fight with Voldemort. He's sent to his Death's office (explained later) and finds out that this isn't the first time that this has happened.

*) Harry's Death (who can have a human name) is mad at his arrival. Apparently, people dying before their time is a black mark on the various Deaths' records, and Harry is getting perilously close to getting this particular one fired.

*) When Harry asks what was supposed to have happened, Death goes off on a rant saying how he was supposed to have killed Voldemort, found his soulmate ("Some Granger girl…") and lived to be a centennial age. But since Harry keeps getting into life-threatening situations for one reason or another, he keeps dying before that happens. Harry is surprised about the soul mate part.

*) Death gives Harry a paper to sign that allows him to retain his memories (the previous times, he wasn't given this option for some reason). Harry is deposited to a previous time of the writer's choosing.

*) Eventually, Harry gets it right. He kills Voldemort, gets the girl, and lives to a ripe old age of whatever. And Death doesn't get fired.

REQUIREMENTS:

*) Harry must have died at least three times before this one

*) The memory keeping contract must be included

*) Death must refer to Hermione as "some Granger girl" when Harry's soul mate turns up in his rant

*) Obviously, must be H/Hr

*) Have fun

OPTIONAL:

*) Dumbledore's manipulations can be a factor in Harry's premature demises"

 **Chapter 1**

The bright green of the avada kadavra spell was the last thing Harry saw, while surrounded by the death eaters and Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest. Then there was the sensation of falling. There was however no feeling of hitting the ground.

What was strange was the fact that he felt the warmth of the carpet beneath his face and body.

"Get up," a rather irate and commanding voice seethed. "Mr. Potter, I mean right this second."

Off to his side he could hear someone shouting in, was that German?

"Shut up Adolf! You will get your turn, AFTER and ONLY after you finish your time here and ALL of those you had slaughtered are processed."

Slowly Harry opened his eyes and looked down at the soft white carpet, and then to the side where a man who looked a LOT like Hitler, and was chained to a chair. Beside him were other people sitting or chained to their seats. To his other side stood a swarthy skinned man that slowly turned his fiery gaze from the German to him.

"Mr. Potter," he snapped his fingers and pointed up. "Up, and follow me. Now." With that said the man turned sharply on his heel and began to stride off.

Realizing that the man before him was not going to wait, or call for him, or even tell him what was going on he quickly got to his feet and ran after the man, getting to him just as the door was closing.

This hallway was slightly off white instead of the stark white of the last room, at least he thought it might be a room, or perhaps some very large waiting room? Once more he had to take off at a run in order to catch up tot eh man who was muttering murderously under his breath in some sort or foreign language.

"Um," Harry began uncertainly. "Excuse me?"

"We shall talk in my office Mr. Potter, and ONLY then," he said in a very clipped tone.

Having finally caught up with him Harry fell into stride with him, and quietly followed behind him. It was obvious that he was angry with him, but he could not fathom why. This was the first time he had ever laid eye upon the man, or this place. Plus the fact that it could have very well been Adolf Hitler in the waiting room, that meant that he was dead. Once that realization hit him, his pace began to slow considerably.

"Oh for the love of it all," came the exasperated reply. "Yes, you are dead, and we will talk more about what it means in my office. Now do yourself a favor and keep up with me."

Dumbfound he struggled to keep up, but would at points drop back and have to dash to get back up to the man, following him through twists and turns, past a number of desks with secretaries sitting at them, until finally the man turned and nodded to a man at one of these desks and entered the office behind it. Once he was through it, he motioned for him to be seated, and then just before he managed to sit slammed the door shut.

"Could you possibly be ANY more stupid? To walk out into the wood like a lamb offering itself to a pack of starving wolves? Seriously! What kid of moron ARE you?" As Harry opened his mouth to respond the man glared at him until he closed it again.

Slowly he took his own seat and then pointed to a stack of rather large file boxes all labeled Harry Potter.

"Those are all you. Every time you died, every broken bone, every fucking nosebleed, and every accursed potion or spell cast on you. I had FINALLY finished all the paperwork from your last death, and with ink not even dry yet," he glared at teh teen, "you appear yet again in Judgment's Waiting Room." Leaning forwards and steepling his fingers, "do you hate me that much that you WANT to see me demoted?"

"Um," he looked about the room, trying to ignore the rather obscenely large stack of boxes. "No? Listen, I am really sorry that," he paused for a moment. "Wait did you say again?"

"Amazing, you do listen. Good, then maybe this time what I tell you will sink in and stay there. With luck you will do things right THIS time, and I can get back to my other work." The man sighed and leaned back pinching the bridge of his nose. "Before you begin rambling off like that girl you hang around asking question after question, let me get the basics out of the way."

The man stood up and wandered to the door, opening it a littler he reached out and came back with a large binder filled with papers. Returning to his desk once more he placed the binder down and opened it.

"You may call me Jacob. I am, for all that it is worth, one of many Angels of Death. Before you ask, it can be a bureaucratic nightmare of paperwork. This is your eighth death, and yet another one that was not supposed to happen. However yet again, this is not your fault. Well, to be honest, walking out to be killed was about as dumb as you can get, but we will get to that later."

Casually he began leafing through the pages, his dark eyes scanning them looking for something.

"So I am to give you, yet again, the option to return and try to get it right. However this will be your LAST attempt. If you do not get it right," he raised his steely gaze to lock eyes with him. "You and I will be sat and chained to chairs in that waiting room, and to make it worse we will only have each other to chat with, until it is finally your turn for judgment, and then, because somehow this is partially my fault, I get the sentence you do. So as you can see, I would really, REALLY, like you to get it right this time. Do you think you might be willing to do that for me? Get it right this time?"

"I," he began, and then paused. "What was supposed to happen?"

"Well," he sighed. "You were supposed to be raised by a person who was NOT the Dursleys, meet your soul mate, some girl named Banger, Fanger, Granger…. Yes, Granger."

"Hermione!? But, what about Ginny!?" he was shocked, to say the least.

"For fucks sake," he growled. "Listen closely to me, and I will speak slow for you. Banger," he began.

"Granger! Hermione Granger," Harry interrupted.

"Yes, her. She is your soul mate. Got that? SOUL MATE, which means FATE chose the two of you to fall in love and eventually have a bunch of kids, and a very happy long life, where you do not have to come see me for a very long ass time. As for the red haired bint and her mother, they are not supposed to be in the picture. Before you even get on with that arse you called a friend, with as many times as the boy as he has turned his back on you and treated you due to his jealousy, but to be honest he is not your friend. In fact he is being promised money for spying on you and being as close to you as possible.

"Now the same cannot be said of all of that family. The father is heavily potioned to follow his wife and her wishes. The older ones are not in on this, just the youngest two. This information does you no good right now," he sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"All of it was a lie?" he was shocked, the betrayal was beginning to heat a fire in him but the man clapped his hands drawing him away from his thoughts.

"None of that now," he flipped a few pages in the binder. "Right now you have a choice to make. Do you want to call it quits and leave everyone to reap what they sowed right now, or, would you care for this last chance to make it right, and have some semblance of the happily ever after?" Jacob stared at the young man before him waiting for him to give his answer, watching him mull over his two options.

"I'd like to try again," Harry said after he considered all the people he could possibly stop from dying this time around.

"Good," he replied and took up a pen to sign a few things on the page before him. The book glowed briefly and then the page turned itself. "Now that you have agreed to return, I can give you the information on the changes that will occur this time. You were not given these options before so I recommend you think about each of them very, VERY carefully, they will affect your life."

Harry leaned forward and prepared to listen to his new options. It was hard not to let his mind wander to the fact that everyone would be alive again, Sirius, Fred, Cedric, Collin, and so many others that had died in the long war. So many thoughts were coming through his mind it was hard to even listen, but then he noticed that Jacob was waiting for him to get through all of these thoughts. So with a deep breath he tried to relax and give the man before him his complete attention.

"Ready?" At the nod from the young man he ran his fingers over the page and then looked to him once more. "There are some contracts that you will need to sign in this binder; they are more binding that anything on the mortal plane. Once these pages are signed and filed there will be no going back, and obviously once you go back, you will not be able to change your mind about what you have taken. This is your final chance to get it all right, and end that fucking prophecy once and for all. Through all of what I am telling you I will stop and make certain you understand. If you need something clarified, let me know. I need you to make the best choices you can, and I am not allowed to make choices for you are to even sway you in the way that I think might be best. Do you understand?"

"So you cannot offer any advice to me?"

"I can offer advice, but I have to make it as impartial as possible. If I sway you in any way, shape, or form, then I will be demoted even worse than if you cause me to be fired. I have no wish to have to become a fucking cupid." The man shuddered at the thought of having to wander after people and try to get them to go after their true love, or lust, or any of that. It was obvious that Harry's cupid was not doing his job, and was probably getting reamed for it again as well.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: 4,271 words later and we have chapter 2. This puts me at 6,141 out of the 50k needed to win for the month. i hope you are all enjoying this so far. Tomorrow i have to drive my spouse down to a eye doctor's appointment 4 hours away... so i hope to get some typing done while in the waiting room, but it might be a smaller update tomorrow... At any rate, hope you like!

 **Chapter 2**

As Jacob opened his mouth to say something, the phone on his desk buzzed. Taking a deep breath he answered it leaving Harry to listen to the quick one-sided conversation.

"Yes?" he asked and paused for the response. "She is here? Now? Damn it, send her in." He then looked to the dark haired teen.

"Harry one of my colleagues will be joining us," He said as the door opened. "She is from a very important department, but unlike me she is not a reaper or a death counselor as some call us."

"Hello Harry," the woman said as she sat to the side of the desk. Quite frankly the woman was beautiful with her long dark hair in a thick plait at her back, her dark almond shaped eyes and her olive skin. "I am Fatima, from the department of Fate. I am certain you have a ton of questions for me, so let me quickly answer a few of them. No we have never met here before; yes I have read all of your files. No, I cannot change your fate to fight Tom Riddle, but I can at this point give some aid through what you are currently agreeing to. I am here to make certain that Jacob does his job properly and to help answer question you have, that he might not be able to, or even have the information for." She placed her hands into her lap and smiled, "does that answer at least the first set of questions you might have?"

"Um, yes actually," the green eyed youth responded. He couldn't help but look at her dark blue silk shirt and skirt with all the gold and silver embroidery on it. The outfit fit her quite well, and made her feel less foreboding than Jacob who was in a smartly pressed suit.

"Oh good," she grinned, "well then Jacob, please continue."

"Yes, well, as I was saying." He looked at the two of them, then back to the binder, "there are many contracts you will need to sign. As I also stated there will be choices for you to make as we move forwards here. Once you sign a contract it will be finalized, and we cannot undo it later, so please make very certain it is something you want. If you are uncertain we can always come back later. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I get it."

"You also have the ability to decline anything we offer up to you. Once you decline an offer it will be removed and we cannot come back to it, understood?" As Harry nodded the man continued, "Good. Now then the first thing that is being offered to you is to go back with you memories of this last life only. You are not being offered the memories of earlier tries at life due to the severity of your deaths in some of those and the unneeded trauma that would likely occur from giving you those. Would you like to accept this offer?"

"yes," Harry replied after just a moment of thought. Even if things changed dramatically at least he would have some basic understanding of what was going or what could happen to him in this try.

"Very good," he replied with a very slight smile. Then he popped the binder open and removed the page sliding it towards Harry along with a pen. "Please sign above your printed name. By signing this you will be given all of your previous memories. Anything you do along the way will of course have the chance to change things in the future. So just be aware that some of this information will no longer do you any good."

"I kind of figured, but it will be nice to have something to look at for similarities and help me to maybe stay alive and one step ahead of Voldemort." Quickly he read through the contract, and saw it was just like he had paraphrased it, and thus taking the silver pen signed his name on the line, then handed it back.

"Very good," the reaper responded as he checked the signature and then placed the page back into the binder and locked the rings. Once the metal clasps closed there was a golden glow from the whole binder, and once it was gone he turned the page.

"The glow," the woman from the Fate department explained, "was the binder accepting your choice. When it is time to send you back, this binder will be fed into the machine. Everything you signed will then be added into who you are now; so that when you return you will be essentially a new being, even with the alterations you are choosing now."

"Is this kind of thing done very often?" he couldn't help but ask the woman.

"No, it isn't. We have to be very careful in whom we send back and why, if we in the Fate department can find another to fill the role then we do, however because of that damn prophecy, it has to be you. So that is why when it became obvious to us that you were going to return yet again, there was a meeting of quite a few departments." She smiled sweetly at him, "to be honest with you Harry, there are quite a few departments that are upset you have to go back again and again. So that is why this binder was made up. Each contract you sign is made from a different department; some departments are giving you a few options to choose from as well. We all do want you to succeed this time. So have some hope," she said and then leaned an elbow on the desk.

"Next up, you are being offered a creature heritage. This would mean you could end up choosing between a few things. You could be a male Veela, part Goblin, or part Giant. Do any of those appeal to you?"

"Uh," he considered for a moment the Veela bit, but then recalled all the trouble Fleur and her sister had being part of that race. "No thank you."

The man merely nodded as he began flipping pages to the next section. With a sigh he looked at Harry.

"Would you fancy being a girl instead of a boy?"

"No!" He couldn't help but shudder at the very idea. "No offense to the girls I know, but I don't know how I would handle another bloke flirting with me, especially as I will have my memories as being a bloke myself."

"Smart choice," he replied disgustedly turning to the next section. "Next up is a bloodline swap. What this means is that instead of being Harry Potter, you could choose who your parents were. That means that your real parents could return, but they would have the child whom you replaced." Even with harry shaking his head the man gave the final nails in the coffin, "your choices here would be Malfoy, Lestrange, Goyle, or Weasley."

"No thank you. While it might be interesting to meet my parents, I still wouldn't want anyone but them," he said shaking his head still. Three choices of dark families, and then the Weasley's, and he would never want them to lose their parents and perhaps die just because of him.

"Well here is a section that might interest you, abilities. You can only choose one of these three, and each one has a sub category to it. The categories are Taught by Merlin, Raised by Fae, or Gamer."

"What are the benefits of each of these?" he asked wishing Hermione was here with him.

"Well," Fatima began, "taught by Merlin means just that. You would gain some of his wisdom and knowledge, along with what skills you are able to learn from him. Raised by Fae, would mean you would not be with the Dursleys but instead be taken from their stoop and raised by some form of Fae."

"Gamer is more interesting and diverse," Jacob said getting the conversation back. "It quite literally means that your life would have quests, short term goals, and be like a game."

The idea of being taught by Merlin was tempting, as was the idea of not having to live with his hateful relatives again, but to live life as if it were a game? There were so many games out there, and the idea of how some games had little tricks so you could level and get stronger faster, well in this case it would have some serious advantages.

"I think I would like to be a gamer," he said officially. This time he only gave a quick scan of the contract before he signed it. This could make life a bit more interesting to him, and help keep him from getting in way over his head.

"In the Gamer Life you have a few choices you can make. The sub categories would allow you to make the choice of table top style game, or video game."

"I'll take video game."

"The video game gives you a few choices in skill progression. There is a skill tree, where you must purchase a skill up to a certain point level before you can get access to higher ones, but you will never be able to buy all of the skills there in. You will have to choose your skills very wisely.

"There is the level system where you choose skills to start with and while they get better each level, at certain levels you will be able to choose new skills.

"Then there is the skill grid system. The grid system will allow you to move from one skill to another as long as they are on a connecting line. In time you will also be able to buy the skills of others in your party."

"What do you mean my party?"

"Oh this is an interesting one," the woman interjected. "It means that your soul mated and anyone who you deem close friends can be added to the grid. For instance Neville, once you gain his friendship you would be able to open up the skill grid and spend his points for him making him better in some categories. This would also mean that you could purchase his skill of Herbology for yourself in time, and you could use his points to buy him your skill in flying a broom."

"So I could buy Hermione's ability to remember things, and she could buy my abilities as a seeker?"

"Yes, and then the two of you could be quite formidable casting spells from a high speeding broom," she replied with a smile.

He couldn't help but to lean back and close his eyes, what a sight that would be! The two of them making quick turns and dives to avoid spells while sending off spells of their own, the Deatheaters wouldn't know what hit them! What with her ability to recall everything she read, if the both of them had that then their number of spells to choose from would be insane. The both of them would be crazy dangerous to their enemies in battle. Also the idea of helping Neville with his skills in things, and to be able to get better himself with plants, well it was too tempting to pass up. The things he could do with that would be near endless; especially once he became friends with Moony and Padfoot.

"I think I will take the grid system, that sounds like it is the best of them," he said leaning forwards the sign on the line.

"Very well," the man responded and once pages were signed and back in the book he went on. "This page needs to be signed, it states that you now know you have a soul mate and will begin your quest to meet and seal the bond." As the page was passed for a signature Fatima spoke up once more.

"Once you begin the bonding process, as an added bonus, she too will become a gamer with the choices you have made. This means she will have access to the grid as well, and will be able to spend her own points. This also means the two of you can discuss how to spend other people's points that join your party. Only those in a soul bond or within your family unit will have the ability to spend points in this manner."

"Cool," he replied still thinking of all the awesome things that the two of them could do for not only themselves to be more prepared but also all of their close friends. He would make sure that fewer people died this time around. Not even reading the page he quickly signed it, not noticing the small smile that Fatima suddenly got as he did so.

"This page that needs to be signed is the one that will make you a master Occlumens. Having this will keep both Dumbledore and Snape out of your mind and from finding out all that you now are."

Once more he signed without even looking at the page, but was pulled from his thoughts when the phone buzzed again.

"Ahem, excuse me," he said as he picked up the receiver. "Yes?" a pause for response, "Oh! Yes I will be right there." He set the item back in the cradle, "Fatima would you please keep young Mr. Potter company while I go deal with something that came up?"

"Certainly Jacob, you just run along and I will have a nice chat with Harry," she said as he then bowed and quickly left the room.

The two looked at one another but before he could ask her what was going on, she merely raised a finger then went to the door herself.

"Sammy," she said sweetly tot eh secretary, "Harry and I are rather parched and a bit puckish, would you be a dear and run to get us some refreshments?"

"Certainly ma'am!" the man said so obviously happy to be away from his desk.

Harry watched as she remained at the door, waiting. Once Sammy was out of sight, a rather short young woman came at a mad dash into the office.

"Hurry! Shut that door!" the new girl said. He couldn't help but stare at the newcomer with her bright violet eyes, golden blonde hair done up in a topknot, and the hair decorated with all manner of beads, feather, and bits of metal. As for her clothes, it was an interesting assortment of color choices, all bright, and all clashing. The tunic top was a bright yellow, while one leg of her breeches was purple, and the other orange, a bright red patch on one knee and chartreuse on the other.

"Did you bring it?" Fatima asked of her after she closed the door. "were you seen coming here?"

"Seen!? Are you kidding me? Everyone is either in the betting room, or dealing with the new mess that cropped up. Seems the filing department is in a tizzy about some paperwork that got messed up. Some of them just happen to be Jacob's cases." She shrugged with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Harry, meet Discordia," Fatima said as she took a large envelope of paperwork from the girl.

"Hiya!" she said brightly and sat in front of him on the desk. "Nice to meet you Harry! Just do us both a favor and do NOT mention that I even came into this room or you even met me. Jacob is a starched shirt, and hates me. See while Fatima and Jacob work in departments here, I don't. I am a goddess, and if you haven't guessed it, I'm the goddess of discord, or chaos if you will. However I am not the bad kind of chaos, more like the twins you know. In fact they are pretty much devout followers of me, as were your dad and his pals," she grinned widely.

"So what are you doing here then?" he asked now a bit worried about the papers she had brought with her.

"Oh you know, playing a prank," she said swinging her legs a bit. "Don't worry though, it isn't a prank on you, not really. Your life is bad chaos, I'm tossing in some stuff that will be fun and chaotic, stuff that will be quite helpful for you. See when I heard you were going to get a deal like this one, I had, just HAD, to go speak with some other people up here. Like your parents for one, and then a whole slew of others. Anyway we came up with a great plan, and all I have to do, is let Fate here look them over and put them in the book before 'Starchy' gets back."

"Speaking of," Fate said calmly, "you should get going before Sammy gets back. You know what will happen if he catches you here."

"Ack! Too right! Well, great to meet ya, and I'll be watching! So have a good time, and a fun one this time," she said before dashing to the door and quickly out and down the hallway.

Quickly he turned just in time to see Fatima locking the clasps of the binder after placing the papers that were brought into it. Once more the binder glowed gold in acceptance of them and she looked up to him with a grin.

"Harry, I need you to trust me on this," she said as she sat back in her chair. "I looked through all of those and to be honest, none of them are harmful to you. When the odd things start to pop up here and there, just remember that they are there to help you, and to make you stronger and even a better person than you are right now. They may seem like a pain to start with, but I promise you, this is a prank not only on Jacob, but a lot of people who think they can control you."

"Just how big is this prank?" he asked getting a bit nervous now.

"Let's just say that when the snowball starts down the hill, a particular white haired manipulator will try to steer it, only to later find he and all of his plans are moot, and the only thing he and the others who work with him can do is run to try and stay ahead of it." Her grin was rather infectious and he couldn't help but grin with her at the idea. "Quite frankly, unless you make friends with certain teachers, and want to trust certain people, they could get swept up by the prank here. In doing so all of their plans will be laid out for the world to see, and cause their own downfalls. You won't have to lift a single finger."

All he could do was nod, as whatever her plan was, was already set into motion whether he anted it or not. The binder of his life had accepted it willingly, so now all he could do is go with the flow.

"Is there anything you can tell me about how my life was supposed to go?" he finally asked when the quiet became too oppressive.

"Actually, yes I can," she said getting a warm smile on her face. "you were supposed to meet your soul mate at the zoo on your cousin's birthday, before you had your bout of accidental magic. While you would see each other, it wasn't until you met at the wizarding bank that you would actually begin to talk. From there would be the owls back and forth, and then the meeting up with each other on the train. It was supposed to be a childhood friendship leads to romance, leads to soul bonding, and a long happy life together." Then she scowled, "it was perfect until that damn prophecy came into it, and then that bastard marked you. Once that happened all of our careful plans went straight down the shitter."

"Language Fatima," Jacob said as he came back to the office.

She merely nodded to him with a soft blush on her cheeks.

"Sorry about that Mr. Potter," he said retaking his seat. "Everything has been sorted out for the moment, but I will have to hurry this along so I can get back and finish the damage control on the situation at hand," he said grimly.

He quickly scanned the page he was on, and then a few more following it.

"Now then, this last section details the fact that I have gone over things with you. The nitty gritty bit about your life as a gamer is this. As you learn new skills you will be able to work at those skills to improve them. This is done through use of the skill, or by reading certain materials or watching certain shows. Your enjoyment of cooking, for example, the skill can be raised by reading cookbooks, watching cooking shows, or by performing the task. Understood?" At the affirmative he moved on to the next subject.

"Now, as for when we are sending you back. As much as I am sure you would want to return at the point of being on the train, or even arrival at the station, I am afraid that is not to be.

"You will be arriving back into your timeline three hours before midnight on your eleventh birthday, which is to say a few hours before Hagrid arrives to take you from your relatives." He said eyeing the youth.

"Why then?"

"Simply put Harry, it is so that you can start the changes then." Fatima said leaning towards him to get his attention. "You need to go to the bank and get your key from Hagrid. Then you have to get him to leave you to deal with the teller alone while he goes to do his other thing for the school. Once he leaves, then you should run into Hermione, and be able to start everything rolling. She will recall you from the zoo, as will her parents. In fact Hermione is being sent back to the morning of her zoo trip."

"Hermione is here right now? Can I talk to her before she goes back?" he asked in a near panic.

"Harry, calm down, you are sadly not allowed to visit with her in this realm. I will be speaking to her right after I leave you. I will let her know some things."

"If I may continue please?" Jacob said, "thank you. She was killed in the battle that took place after you died, and she will be heading back with some memories and instruction in tact. Speaking of memories, in order to not overload you too much you will go back with the memories of everything we have talked about, as well as you life up until you go back already there. You will also have memories of what you need to do, yet the memories of your school years will be locked on your grid.

"By doing this you can take your school year memories year by year. The year 1 memories will have from the moment you were left at the station, until the moment you leave the platform to return to your relatives. 2nd year will pick up with the return home trip, your summer, and the next school year until you return once more to the platform to return to your relatives. There will also be a memory slot labeled Childhood, and that is as it states from the first moment you were held by your mother, until the moment you were first left at the station.

"These memories can also be shared with your soul mate. While you may be reluctant to do so, do realize that she might be able to notice some things that you did not. Any questions?"

"None. I really just want to go talk with Hermione," he said imploringly.

"Very well, we can get you on your way. Just sign this last page and we can get you back to the land of the living. With luck you won't have to see me again for a very, very, long time."

One final signature and the three stood up to leave. Fatima gave him a quick hug and then looked him in the eyes.

"I will go talk to her right now. I'll let her know what is going on, well as much as I am allowed to." She gave him another hug and then dashed off down a hallway.

"Alright Mr. Potter, follow me."

It was a long, silent fifteen minute walk. Finally it ended with an archway, almost like the one Sirius had fallen through all those years ago. The main difference is that this one had a pearlescent cloth hanging in it.

"Yes, it is almost like the one you are thinking of. Where that one goes straight to our waiting room, this one gives you life." He spoke as he walked to a small dais set off to the side of the archway, it was there he deposited the binder into a slot, and then pressed a series of buttons.

"Now then Mr. Potter, Harry, if you would, enter the veil of life. Good luck, and may you manage that long happy life," he said hopefully.

"Thanks Jacob, I'll try." He smiled at the man, and then taking a deep breath to steel himself for what he know was to come, he passed through the soft fabric.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Sorry for not getting this one up yesterday but i was exhausted after the looong drive and sitting in a waiting room for a few hours at the hubby's eye appointment... So here is the short next installment, and I will have the next one up before midnight tonight i think :) Really glad so many people are enjoyin this. Again please be aware there is no beta, and this is all 1st draft as it is my 2017 NaNo. For those who do not know what that is, November is National Novel Writing Month! where you write 50k in 30 days without going back and editing or changing scenes... hence why this is only a quick grammer and spell check before posting it up...

 **Chapter** **3**

Harry snapped back into reality like a rubber band being stretched to its limit and then let go. In response his eyes shot open, it seems he had dozed off for a few moments. Dudley was there on the rickety couch passed out, and his aunt and uncle were in the upper part of the thing they had rented on this lone rock.

As he glanced about recalling his memories of the talk he had just been having not so long ago, a screen popped up into his vision.

Would you like to play the tutorial? Yes No

The world around him seemed to be on pause of some kind. Slowly he stood up and began to walk around ignoring the choice he was going to have to make at some point. It was strange being able to wander about in the complete silence that was there.

Was he seriously going to waste his time on a tutorial? From what he had gathered in his previous life no one ever really did them, just clicked through them as quickly as possible just to get the game to stop trying to get them to waste time on it.

So will all his Gryffindor common sense he clicked no, but the world was still on pause. Looking about he noticed things about his pause screen. There was a time clock in the upper right, and his life, and mana in the upper left, and his experience bar in the upper center. There was no real reason to stare at them, but they were there.

Concentrating on the skill grid made it come into view. Right now it was just himself, but he had points to spend based on his past thus far. In fact he had a great number of points to spend on this grid, and it would take some time to plan things out, but he knew what he would be buying first, his memories of each year of school. That information was going to come in very handy. However he only had a few hours until Hagrid came to get him, and the faster that happened the faster he would get to see Hermione again, and it was going to be with her help that they would make this grid work the best for the both of him for their survival.

With a sigh he thought about closing the window, and it did. This made him grin, it was going to be a lot of fun once he got the hang of this. Once more he thought about un-pausing his life, and he watched as the clock in his vision to the upper right ticked off a minute, and then another.

Not having anything to really do for the few hours, he decided at least for the first two to wander about and examine things. So since his cousin was there, it seemed logical to start there.

Dudley Dursley: Born to Petunia and Vernon Dursley. Dudley is a bully, but it didn't have to be that way. While he bullies his cousin, he actually does not really hate him. Those feelings come from the spell that leaches magic from the surrounding environment to keep it going.

Harry shook his head as he read the description about his cousin. First of all Dudders didn't hate him, but the fact that it was due to a spell? Well this was definitely new. Or was it new? Could this be the same as it was from the last time he lived? Could it be that all of his relatives were just treating him so poorly because of a spell?

no time like the present to be sure. So very carefully he crept to the stairs that led to the second floor where his aunt and uncle were sleeping, in the only bed the place held. It felt strange to sneak up there to look at them, but he had to know.

Petunia Dursley: Sister to Lily Potter, whom she is sad passed away. However for all her grief at her passing, she is still spiteful and jealous that her sister was doted on by not only her parents for being a witch but seemingly a whole bunch of handsome men. To this day she is still jealous of her sister, and angry at the wizarding world for taking her sister and then killing her. Sadly this translates over to her nephew, she sincerely hopes that Harry turns out to be a normal child, because then she could perhaps start to love him. However she is still very angry at the wizarding world for refusing her the ability to go to school with her sister, and it is this that makes her so cruel to Harry. She fears that he will become cruel to her and her family and bring them into danger because of the hate and contempt many wizards hold for non-magicals.

So no spell forcing her to be so cruel, but at least he could see a reason for it. Not one he could readily agree with, but at least he could now understand why she was so bitter. Plus it was honestly kind of his fault that they were in danger due to the fact he lived there. granted he was forced on them, and he was almost certain that they had manipulated into thinking they had to and that there was no other option, and perhaps even threatened. Now it was time to see about his uncle.

Vernon Dursley: Married to Petunia Dursley, father of Dudley. Vernon works at Grunning Drills, where he is blackmailing his secretary into sleeping with him. He also is blackmailing three of his coworkers in order to get ahead at his workplace. He hates his nephew and world rather have dumped the infant left on his front step at an orphanage then take it into their home. He hates the boy landed on them, hates that he is forced to do anything for the child, and hates his wife for being so stupid to agree to it. Neither Harry nor Dudley know it, but Vernon has hit his wife for many things behind closed doors. with everything going on right now he is truly considering killing his nephew, and dumping his body in the water, and claiming that he got swept off this god forsaken rock and drown.

Pale faced he headed back down to the corner that his tattered blanket rested on the floor and sat down hard. He had always thought his uncle was cruel, and thought that he at least loved his own family, but reading that. A shudder passed through him as he thought of how if Hagrid did not come for him, he could end up being shoved into that icy cold water and left for dead. It also angered him that he was abusing his aunt, true she held no real love for him, but no one deserved that. After all he knew first hand what it felt like to be hit by that man, and here he was hitting the woman he married and supposedly loved.

As Hermione would say, his saving people thing, was rearing up in righteous anger. Whatever he had hoped for was dashed upon the rocks, but thankfully it wasn't his body at least. The big question gnawing at him now was, what was he going to do?

Here he was waiting for his birthday so that Hagrid would show up and take him away, and yet he now knew that something was up with Dudley, and that his aunt was being abused behind closed doors. That was probably another nail in his coffin with her, he was almost certain his uncle used him as yet something else to hit her for.

While he mulled over the new information he ignored the clock ticking away the time. In fact since he was not even looking at it, he missed the moment it struck midnight. Though it was hard to miss the door being brought off its hinges.

To keep things simple for himself he let everything play out just as it had last time, except for the end.

"I think my cousin has learned his lesson Hagrid," Harry said placing his tiny hand on the half giant's arm. "Could you please remove the tail from him?"

"Ah Harry, you is just as forgivin' as yer mum," the large man said with a tear in his eye. "Alright Harry, I'll take the tail off yer pig of a cousin." With that the man waved his enormous umbrella around and removed the tail.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Okay sorry bout that. i had accidentally posted up chapter 2 instead of chapter 3... whoops! I want to thank all of you for reading this project. I didn't think too many would want to read an ongoing 1st draft with no beta... but that is what National Novel Writing Month is all about, just going and not changing the plot line as it moves forwards.

i will keep posting daily now, as i want to get up what i manage to write each day, along with my word counts :) this 'chapter' is 7,719 words, bring me to a grand total of 15,299 words out of the 50k I need in order to make the goal by the 30th of the month. I am not counting my author notes in that count either... straight story! So thank you for reading and for the reviews!

 **Chapter 4**

The two left the relatives behind, but Harry had not missed the looks of his aunt and cousin's faces when he asked Hagrid to remove the tail. He had given them both something to think about, however his uncle was turning a lovely shade of anger puce. Quite easily Harry had been lifted up and placed into the sidecar of the flying motorcycle.

"Hagrid? Where are we going?" he asked trying to keep as much as he could along the same lines as his first time through.

"We be goin' to the Leaky cauldron, and then off to Diagon Alley where we can get all yer school supplies," the larger man said with a grin. The conversation was ended when he revved the engine and took off into the air.

As they flew a window popped up:

QUEST: Separate from Hagrid to do your own banking Accept Deny

QUEST: Get all of your school supplies Accept Deny

QUEST: ? Accept Deny

QUEST: ? Accept Deny

Quickly he accepted all of them. His first two real quests, and still a long flight to get back to London. This gave harry time to ponder over what he needed to do. Somehow he had to get his vault key from Hagrid and then send him off to go visit the vaults he needed to, while waiting for Hermione to show up. Then he really needed to talk to a goblin about his account, he never had the chance in the last go round. It was time he actually asked about how things worked so that he could plan for the future he was hoping to actually have. The idea of being stuck with his reaper, who would be rather irate with him, for a very long time, was not appealing. So he would get things right, starting with Hermione.

Once more he had to allow the discomfort of fame as the patrons of the Leaky Cauldron all wanted to shake his hand, or even to just touch his cousin's cast off clothing. Thankfully he was able to get Hagrid to realize this time that it did make him uncomfortable and the gentle half-giant led him out to the alley proper.

Awe and wonderment came over him again, just as it had the first time. It hadn't been so long for him really, but the last time it had such a different feeling. Now he made the silent vow to never let it get that way again. People deserved this normalcy, and the magic and wonderful feelings he was certain every muggleborn felt passing into this world for the first time.

"Hagrid? How am I supposed to pay for all of this? I have no money," he recited from his previous memory. It was now time to put everything into motion by making the first change, getting Hagrid to leave him so he could meet up with Hermione.

"We have to go to the Wizarding Bank Harry! Gringotts! Yer parents had an account there and they wouldn't leave ya penniless!" The large man said with a reassuring grin to the child he thought harry was.

"But I wouldn't know how to get to that. It's not like I have an account statement or a key to prove it to them," he said as they approached the large bank, the guards eyeing them warily.

"Course ya do! I gots yer key right here!" the large man then brought out said key and handed it to his charge. "Now we'll get yer money and then I gots some school business to get done here, then we can do yer shopping."

As they entered the building Harry made certain to stop and look about in awe at everything before he turned to his escort.

"would it be alright if I got my money myself? That way if I have questions they can answer them, and while I do that you can get your stuff done," he said looking at the man with a smile. "I can meet you back right over there by those guards."

"Well I shouldn't let ye go wanderin' alone, but," the large man smiled. "Long as you stay in here won't nobody bother ye." With that the large man tousled his hair. "I'll meet ye back over there then. Just be polite to the goblins, they can be right nasty if ye aren't careful."

"Thanks Hagrid," he said with genuine joy. So far his plan was working, and all he had to do was wait until the man was no longer in sight, and then she should come into the bank so that they could meet. That was what his reaper had said, and he was going to hold that man to it.

Sure enough the moment Hagrid was taken by what looked like Griphook to the carts beyond, someone bowled him over to the floor. Looking up at whoever it was that was now on top of him, he felt himself flood with happiness. His green eyes met chocolate brown, Hermione had found him!

"Hermione," her mother chided as she helped pull her daughter who had a knowing look in her eye, off of him.

"Sorry," she said to him, it was obvious to him that she had the memories and the instructions to meet him here.

"Its okay," Harry said as he got up and brushed himself off. "I shouldn't have been standing around like that." He found himself staring at Hermione, but if he had paid attention he would have seen the look that her mother gave her father as his shirt had rucked up when he had fallen, and the bruises that littered his body were obviously there for some time.

"Are you alone?" her father asked glancing about for some form of guardian.

"Kind of. The groundskeeper for Hogwarts, Hagrid, brought me here. He had some stuff to do for the school, as well as help me, so I said I could get my money myself and he should go do what he needed to do," harry said looking up at the tall man. "I'm Harry by the way."

"I'm Hermione," she said in a rush thankful that they were getting names out there finally. "Thus is my mum and dad. Are you here to get your school supplies too?"

"Yeah, got to get money and then all that stuff for first year. Are you a first year too?" She nodded so fast harry was scared her head might fall off.

"Would you like to join us for all of that? I mean Hagrid could come too, as he might be able to help us get the right things as well," she said hoping he would take the bait and her parents would go with it.

"That would be nice. That way we can at least know each other when we head to school," he said with a grin. "I was getting scared about the people I would meet," he said a bit shyly.

"Well then, first we should get money exchanged then," her father said getting the group in line for a teller. A slight hand gesture given to his wife did not go unnoticed by the goblins either, nor had the bruises upon the dark haired child with the worn out and far too large clothes.

Her mother moved in behind the two children as she looked over the short scrawny boy before her. She had seen the bruises, and being a dentist that dealt with children she and her husband had taken the classes each year on how to handle and spot children in abusive homes, and other bad situations. Thus far at their practice they had been lucky and only had to report one family that seemed to be sexually abusing the child, and the child was still coming to them for dental work, but now it was with her foster family, and the girl seemed to be flourishing quite well.

"Harry," she said smiling down at the boy, "you do know that these clothes are a bit big on you right? Or is this a fashion thing I am too old to know about?"

"Oh," Harry said caught off guard. It had never occurred to him that someone might ask, no one had before, but it was best to be honest with her parents. After all he was going to be soul bonded to their daughter, best not to start their relationship with lies. "These are hand me downs, from my cousin." Quickly he felt Hermione hold his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze.

"How old is your cousin?" her father asked as they moved forward in the queue.

"Eleven, he had his birthday in June," he replied now starting to feel self conscious.

"Did something happen to your clothes?" her father asked rather curious.

"These are my clothes," he replied quietly.

"I'm sorry Harry, we don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable," her mother said placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "We were just curious since they do not seem to fit you at all. Perhaps when you get your money exchanged, you should put aside some for some extra clothing that the school uniform on the list. Dan and I can help cover the cost for the rest of your school supplies," the woman said as she looked at him with a genuine smile and kindness that Harry had always dreamed of having aimed at him when he was growing up.

"I couldn't ask you to do that," Harry replied shocked by her statement.

"NEXT!" barked the goblin at the teller station.

As their group moved forwards the guard next to the station passed the teller a note that was read quickly. A hand gesture made, and soon all of the goblin guards were standing straighter than before, and if possible looking even more alert.

"I would like to make an exchange," her father said as he placed a stack of bills on the counter, and then pulled a few more from his wallet.

"Certainly," the goblin said and began to count the bills. Then placing them where the family could still see he counted out the proper amount for the exchange and passed it to the obvious muggle in a small bag. "Since you are a first time customer I am giving you this money pouch free of charge. I recommend your child have one, but that you should hang onto this one."

Both children hid their shocked expressions at the goblins giving anything for free, and instead watched as her father grinned and took the bag with a word of thanks not only for the bag but for the advice.

"Do you have any other business to attend to?" the teller asked.

"Yes," he replied and motioned for harry to come forwards. "Harry here also needs some assistance."

"Um," Harry started feeling quite unsure and awkward. He looked to the Grangers for a moment before he brought the key up to place it gently on the counter. "I, uh, need to make a withdrawal. I, um, also, well, I don't know how much I have either."

"Don't you get bank statements?" her father said taking a knee so he could look the boy in the eyes.

"No sir. The first bit of mail I got from the magical world was my Hogwarts letter," he replied and dug that out of the pocket he had stuffed it into like any child would.

"Harry," Dan said looking at the address on the letter. "Why is your letter posted to 'the cupboard under the stairs'?"

"May I please see this letter," the teller asked.

Harry passed the letter up to the teller really not wanting to answer anyone as he hadn't even really told Hermione about that, at least he couldn't remember if he had yet or not. He was going to have to buy those memories over the course of the next month, and start making his plans.

Once the letter was out of his hands and he opened his mouth to say something, anything, he was stopped as the air was hugged from him by Hermione. He couldn't help but freeze for a moment before he was able to wrap his arms around her, and bury his head into her shoulder, he could feel tears coming, damn his young emotions. This was not the first impression he was hoping to make on his future in-laws.

"Mr. Potter," the goblin said from his seat, "it seems that your account is flagged, and that you will need to speak with a manager. There is nothing wrong, but as this is your first time back to the bank since your birth, a manager must speak with you. Would you like your guardians to join you?" he asked, knowing full well that these people were not his guardians.

"Um," he looked at them. "These people aren't my guardians, but yes, I would like them there."

"Are you sure Harry?" Dan asked the boy before him.

"Yes sir. To be honest I feel like I can trust you, and it would be nice to have someone there to help explain things if I really don't understand." It was true, and it would help to have Hermione there with him. This was all new and uncharted territory, best to have the brightest witch of the age with him.

"Okay Harry, but you just say the word and Emma and I will leave if you want us to," he said seriously.

The goblin teller merely nodded and taking the key and the letter in one hand placed a closed sign at his desk with the other. Spryly he climbed from his stool and motioned them to follow him through a door, and deeper into the bank's many offices.

Hermione held his hand firmly in her own as they followed down the hallway, the guard who had been nearby the teller station following with them, making certain they did not go where they were not supposed to. While the floors were a beautiful polished marble, the walls were a cold dark gray, almost foreboding in the way it looked. The chill that crept into his bones from worry and fear as to what was about to happen did not leave him as they walked passed doors and paintings of battles, weapons charmed to stay on the walls with some strange goblin writing under them.

After what felt like eternity they were showed into a rather normal and plush looking office. A goblin dressed smartly sat behind the desk and watched the group enter, not bothering to get up. On the far side across from the door stood a rather large and ornate fireplace, a metal grate off to the side leaving it open for floo travel, as the hanging pot would suggest. The guard whom had traveled with them moved to the manager and gave a bow and salute before approaching and speaking in hurried and low tones with a number of hand gestures that probably were to clarify what he was saying.

The manager waved the soldier off, and once he and the teller were gone did the lone goblin turn his steely gaze onto the group of them.

"Please," he gestured to the chairs, "have a seat. I am afraid that these proceedings may take a bit longer than they were first intended to."

"Why would that be," Dan asked as he made certain all were seated before he was. The kids on a loveseat, and his wife in a chair to one side and he off to the other.

"And you are?"

"Dan Granger and this is my wife Emma, and our daughter Hermione. Harry has asked that we come with him," the man said his body language preparing for a defensive or offensive move if need be.

"Very well, Mr. Granger," he replied as he steepled his fingers and looked over the group once more. "Young Mr. Potter was to be brought to me when he first came to the bank so I could go over his finances with him. However since it seems he has not been receiving our correspondence it brings up a very big issue in our security. Also with your young daughter crashing into him, as I am sure you noticed, it brings up another issue. For that this meeting will take a bit longer, as we are waiting on a person that needs to be here, and will do not only her best for Mr. Potter, but will also do her best to keep it from reaching the news and causing him more grief over the situation.

"So you understand that we are not being remiss in these proceedings, let me assure you that I have all of the young mister Potter's accounts and holdings here with me. Since it was a foregone conclusion that he would be coming to school this year, and thus need to come to the bank, I have had all files brought here." The goblin then looked down to the key and the letter that was placed on his desk, his gnarled finger pointing but not touching the letter, but a fire being lit in his eyes just seeing the address.

A green light from the fireplace and a rather tall and stern looking woman with a monocle stepped forth from it. Turning she used her wand to move the grate back into place to lock the floo. Only then did she look at the group assembled.

"I apologize for my tardiness, but the minister did not really want to leave my office," she said to the goblin. "Now then, your message said that this was urgent?"

"Madame Bones," the goblin said and nodded an acknowledgement to the woman, before looking back to the group at large. "Madame Bones is head of the Department of Magical law Enforcement. None of you are in any trouble, others however will be." Then he looked back to the woman and gestured to each person in turn as he introduced them, "Dan Granger, Hermione Granger, Emma Granger, and Harry Potter," he said getting a grin on his face as the older witch's monocle dropped from her face to dangle at her breast.

"Now that we are all here, if Madame Bones would take a seat we shall begin the proceedings," the goblin said with a chuckle. "I am the head manager of this bank, which for all that garbage they will teach you of goblins in school, makes me also their king. I am handling this personally because of your parents, and matters surrounding what had occurred.

"To start with Harry, happy eleventh birthday, welcome to the magical side of Britain, and all the joy of returning to where you rightfully belong." Opening a drawer he pulled out a file folder and set it on the desktop.

"With that out of the way we now move onto other sadder things. Director bones, in your official capacity now I would like you to bear witness to all that is going to be said here, I also ask for you to press charges where need be, and help bring justice to young mister Potter," he said with a touch of venom to his voice.

"Very well Bank Manager Ragnarok, I shall begin to take notes on the proceedings with your permission," she said bringing out a scroll of parchment and a quill that hovered over the page to begin writing what was said.

"Indeed, please go ahead, and also when this is done you will want to make a few copies of that as well as your memories to store in differing locations. One of which I suggest being my office here, as it is quite secure."

"Wh-what is all this about?" Harry couldn't help but stammer out. All he was supposed to do was pull some money and make an inquiry as to what he had and then leave the bank and start talking with Hermione about what she knew so far.

"It is all about you." The goblin said pointing one finger at him for a brief moment before back at the papers before him, "and what was done or not done for you. First point, on October thirty-first nineteen eighty-one, the Dark Lord entered your parents hiding place and killed them, and tried to kill you. Somehow the spell rebounded and he was slain instead, but instead of just dying his body vanished. That very night you vanished from the magical world, until now.

"Your parents placed a will with us, and a copy with the ministry. The will over there was sealed by the Chief Warlock, and never read. As we have the original and we are the mediators of the wills in the magical world, would you care to have the will read now?" The goblin looked to Harry, hoping he would agree to it.

"Yes," the green eyed boy responded quietly, while his bushy haired friend had her arm on him and held one of his hands in a comforting way.

"Very good, let it be so noted in your transcripts that the heir of the Potter family has chosen to hear the last testament of his parents." With a nod from the stern woman the goblin held the will up and ran a claw over the wax seal. For everything in the world what happened next was amazing and at the same time terrifying.

The wax seal seemed to bleed off the paper and hang in the air before the paper itself shifted into a perfect sphere that the wax then formed over and took the shape of a face, his father's face, and then it spoke.

"This is the last will and testament of James and Lily Potter. This will was made October twenty-ninth in the year nineteen eighty-one, and is the original. A paper copy will be sent via the goblins to the Ministry for their files.

If it is that I have died and yet my wife and son have lived on they shall inherit everything. My son, Harry, shall take up the mantle of Lord upon reaching his age of majority." The face then shifted to that of his mother's.

"If I also perish, then Harry will need to be raised by one of the following: His Godmother Alice Longbottom, His Godfather Sirius Black with the help and aid of Remus Lupin, our long time friend Minerva McGonagall, or with a woman we have both come to respect and trust Amelia Bones. Under no circumstances is our child to go to my sister and her family the Dursleys, unless my sister has divorced Vernon Dursley and cut all ties with his family. Even if that has occurred one of the above should check in on our boy monthly, as my sister can be quite spiteful and hold a grudge. If he is there hearing this, know that we do love you Harry, and we hope that you need not hear this at all." Once more it morphed back into his father.

"If both of us have died, these are our wishes. As well as the added stipulation that Harry should begin the process of handling all finances and living on the estate no later than his thirteenth birthday. Living with those we have chosen we know that he will grow into a fine young man, and have the skills needed by that age to begin not living on his own, but understanding what his role in the world is.

"We leave a generous allowance of three hundred galleons a month to whomever has to care for our son. Sirius should receive one million galleons, the same for Remus along with deed for The Seaside Shack.

"We also wish it known that if anyone got to us under the fidelius charm that was cast, that we were betrayed. The caster of the spell was Albus Dumbledore, and the secret Keeper was Peter Pettigrew. So if we died in Godric's Hollow those two are possible traitors.

"Here ends the last will and testament." Then as the wax began to melt and drip once more, one last things that was heard in unison from his parents, "We love you Harry, and are proud of you no matter what you choose to do with your life. We hope you find love like we did!"

Harry's eyes and face were wet with the silent tears he had shed. There it was, said right there for him to hear, he was never to have gone to his aunt and uncle's. Taking the back of his sleeve he wiped his face.

"I was never supposed to go to my Aunt and Uncle," he said stunned by this. Giving voice to it he looked at everyone there, "but that is where live."

"This brings us to the other reason that Director Bones was brought in. When Miss Granger collided with you in the bank lobby, your shirt lifted enough for one of our guards to count five ribs up, and see some of the bruises that you have. It was also quite obvious to him that the Grangers had also seen it, and were trying to gauge the situation as well." He looked from the now embarrassed youth to Bones. "Director Bones, as it is obvious now that the wishes of the Potters have been sealed and ignored, I ask on behalf of the young man that justice be done. Please cast the spell to create a document of his physical health, to be taken to someone that you can trust at Saint Mungo's for determination on how to heal him."

For her part Amelia was stunned, and felt ill. Here she knew Albus had sealed the will, but to now know that he had known that Sirius wasn't the secret keeper, and that the man had been sent to Azkaban for that crime of betrayal. She would have to read the transcripts and see if they had used the truth potion at all, or since Albus would have been in charge if there was even a trial.

"Harry," the stern woman said as she stood up and faced him and Hermione, " I need you to stand up for me. The spell I am going to cast will conjure a sheaf of parchment, and on that will be written a number of things. Such as any illnesses you have had, vaccines, injuries, and your general health, and while I am sure you have dealt a bit with your fame since coming here, I know a healer who works very closely with me on child abuse and neglect cases that could be high profile. She will keep everything quiet while we help you through this, if you let us."

Still stunned by the revelations and not too certain he wanted to go through with this, he was even more startled when the world paused.

"Harry," the girl holding him said. "I know you don't want to do this, but you really should."

"Did you," he turned to her quickly shocked by the fact she may have paused the world.

"Yes, I put us on pause." She shifted a bit an looked at him seriously, "you have a chance to change your living situation. Fatima made certain that I would have access to some of the abilities, but once we made contact, it unlocked almost everything to me. She did that because she wasn't certain if you would be able to get away from Hagrid in order to meet me right now. This way if it took until the train I could pause things and find you and talk to you before things got out of hand."

"Out of hand, you mean like this," he asked gesturing about.

"Take a deep breath Harry. I know this is all very new stuff, it is to me too. Just remember what the tutorial said, save often and always pause to give yourself time to think over your options." Harry mumbled something in response as he looked away from her. "What was that? You were mumbling."

"I skipped the tutorial," he said knowing she would get it out of him sooner or later.

"Oh Harry," she sighed.

"I knew you would do it anyway."

"Yes, but that does not mean that I got all the same information as you. For instance, I do not think that they gave you information on how a witch changes physically with her magic during puberty." It was evil but she couldn't help but grin watching him turn crimson with embarrassment. "Yes I have been back longer, but this has only given me time to go through my own past, and what happened in our first year last time."

"You haven't looked at the other years yet?"

"Not yet, and you will not be unlocking all of those memories at once either," she said giving him the eye. "Trust me when I say one year is quite enough to go through, and more than headache inducing. Thankfully the Occlumency has helped in sorting through things, but even so, it takes time to go through and understand what happened and how we can use the information to our advantage."

"So, I am going to have to do the tutorial aren't I?"

"Yes, but not right now. It requires time to actually be moving in order to get through things. So you will have to do that later. Right now however I think you need to be prepared to stand up and have this scan done," she looked at him worriedly. "I know you don't want to, but if it can get you away from those people sooner, then you should do it. The fact that your parents did not want you there, and everything else that has happened to you there, means that you should be removed from them."

"Yeah, but where will I go?" he asked the feeling of hopelessness closing in on him.

"Do you trust me Harry?"

"Yes."

"Good, then do that." With a quick hug, she looked at him again, "I'm going to start things again, so be ready."

He began to nod as time started up again and slowly he stood up. With a few steps away from the loveseat he let the woman cast the spell upon him.

It felt like a splash of lukewarm water had seeped into him, all the way to his very center. Once it had sat in his core for a few moments it began to travel through his veins and arteries, circulating through him over and over again. Bits of it stayed behind at each injury he could recall having, the blow to the head, a broken wrist, the bruises, the broken ribs, and the list went on until finally the magic seemed to warm and melt away from him. With a look towards Director Bones, he was about to ask a question, but seeing the thin line her lips were pressed into and the seriousness of her face he decided to hold off.

"Thank you Harry, you may have a seat again." Taking the parchment she sat back down and kept looking at things while the Bank manager began to speak once more.

"Mr. Potter, as it seems you have not been getting the mail we have been sending to you, we would like to remedy this. In order to do so we need to use your blood to verify you are who you say you are, as well as to go around any spells that have been cast on you or your residence that would be causing you to not receive your mail."

"I have to cut myself?"

"No," the goblin said and gestured him to stand up and come towards the desk. "All that knife cutting and such is long in the past. We also do not use the barbaric blood quills that used to be favored in times gone by, and are now a banned item. One of our muggleborns that work for us happens to be diabetic, and as such has got us a lancet device that pricks your finger in a sterile manner. You then press that drop onto this square of onyx. The enchantments on this will then send the information to this enchanted quill and parchment and write up your lineage. The information will then be placed into your vault after myself and one of our lineage personnel go over it. We like to double check that you are getting the vaults you should."

"So I would know right away of anything?"

"Quite simply, no. We want to verify the information, and since your blood is on the page we can test the inherent magic that is held therein against the keys of the vaults you might be able to claim. If it is true that the vault recognizes your magical signature, then we will contact you with what the holding of the added account is." Slowly his eyes moved over to Hermione, "I would suggest that even if you are muggleborn, you consider taking a lineage test from us at some point. Right now we have a great many vaults that are sealed as inactive, and the ministry is not happy that we refuse to empty them into their coffers. It is our hope that many of the lines may come back to us through muggleborns such as you through long dormant squib lines that were forced into the non-magical side of Britain."

Very carefully he did as was instructed, and then he returned to the seat to be held by Hermione. This was a lot more than the simple change he had thought he was going to be making.

Being the woman she was, Emma could no longer stop herself and her curiosity. Quietly she rose up and wandered over to where Amelia was still reading the parchment aghast, and began to read while standing next to her. To say she was angry and shocked would have been a colossal understatement. Never before had she wanted to kill someone, but now for the first time she had people she thought deserved it.

For his part in all of this the goblin sat there with a straight face, while internally he was preparing a list of who was going to be needed when the time came to take accounts and close them down to pay for reparations to this young man. Most witches and wizards made certain to make payments to them on time, or to sell items to them to cover the cost of things, because a group of hardened goblin warriors showing up to repossess things was too frightening for words. For some who had taken from this boy and illegally sold them off, there would be a reckoning like no other. Family heirlooms would need to be sought out and brought back to their rightful owner, and those that had taken them would have to be brought in and gift wrapped for Director Bones.

As the parchment began to write upon itself in the young lord's blood he blinked. Oh this was going to have to be checked and verified, but as much as he wanted to do it right now, it was not the time.

"Well you do seem to indeed be Harry James Potter, heir to the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter. Having this verified I can grant you the information that at present you have ten thousand galleons in your trust fund. How much would you care to withdraw?"

This proclamation had Dan in a coughing fit, and Hermione sitting bug eyed, but Amelia and Emma were too busy pointing at things on the parchment they were looking at and plotting in quiet whispers to one another to care about money.

"That is all I have, so I shouldn't take too much," he said more or less to himself causing the goblin to let out an actual laugh.

"No, this is not all you have. This is merely your trust fund, your yearly allowance if you will. This money will be refreshed to this amount every year on your birthday. The Potter accounts are worth far more than this mere pocket change to them." He chuckled some more at the stunned look on the faces of the three that were paying attention to him. "Now then, how much would you like?"

"Um," he pondered over everything. If he took a bunch he could get new clothes, a batter trunk and supplies than he had last go around. It would be worth it, as well as the extra books he could purchase so as to explain away how he knew certain spells and the like. "I think I will take two thousand. That should cover new clothes and supplies, as well as give me some spending money through the school year."

The goblin nodded in approval, "very good. I am glad to hear you will be getting yourself some good clothes, and might I recommend that you get yourself a wand holster. Not many kids get them, but they are much safer than how many students carry their wands, and helps to keep them from getting misplaced or broken."

"Thank you, I will make sure we both get them," he said grinning as he looked to his best friend.

"Now then, ladies?" he called to the women, only to be ignored. After a moment he slammed his fist on the desk, and that caused them both to jump. "Now that I have your attention," he said with a grin. "I am understanding by your body language that what is on there is not very good. I suggest that we begin moving on that at this time, and finding a suitable place for the young lord in question to live."

"I refuse to let this boy out of my sight," Emma said with a conviction that surprised her daughter. "From what I am reading here I am, I am, oh there are no words for how I feel about those monsters!" Taking a deep breath she looked at Bones and then to Ragnarok, "my husband and I are already cleared to be foster parents. We have gone to the yearly classes and workshops as well, not only to keep up with it, but also to be there just in case. Now I want to put us forth to be considered for him."

"You have classes for that?" Bones was stunned. She had seen children abused but they always went to family, and in some cases sadly right back to their abusive parents who learned to hide it better.

"Yes, we do. We do not believe in letting a child go back to their abusers, especially for this amount of abuse. This is unheard of!" she said gesturing to the parchment.

"Well it would be safer having him stay in the non-magical world until school starts. I will get in touch with a few contacts I have and see if we can get things moved through so that you can have non-magical custody of Harry, if he is alright with that?" She smiled as he nodded in stunned approval of the idea. "Very well. Then the only thing to be settled is finding out if anyone actually has custody of him in the legal sense." For this she turned her attention to the goblin.

"Oh he has a guardian for the magical world," the goblin said getting an evil grin on his face, "Seems the Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore gave himself magical custody of Mr. Potter."

Amelia couldn't help but groan. There was no way she would could get away from the fact that this all looked really bad, and had conflict of interest written all over it.

"Did he at least give non-magical custody to his relative, though he should not have?"

"No, the only legal guardian of Mr. Potter is one, Albus Dumbledore," the goblin said with a savage grin.

"So we can take Harry home with us after we finish shopping?" Hermione asked full of hope.

"As much as I would love to let you do so, he must go back to his current residence," the Director of Law enforcement began. "I know it does not seem right or fair, but the fact of the matter is, if his relatives wanted to they could make your parent's life very hard because he is a blood relation. So he must return to them, however if you will let me Mr. Potter, I would like to cast a charm on you. This one would let me know the moment they begin to abuse or neglect you. In turn this would allow me to get a couple of muggle law enforcement to join me in going to your place of residence on an anonymous tip, where we would then be able to remove you legally from the home."

"How long would that take?" Dan asked worried for the boy his daughter was making a very fast friendship with.

"A day or two," Harry said with a sad shrug.

"Oh Harry," Hermione said and hugged him tighter, but easing up when she heard him suck in a sharp breath from a bruise she had squeezed too hard.

"Do you think you can hold out that long harry?" Emma asked as she looked over at the young man.

"Yeah, I can handle it," he said feeling quite uncomfortable with all of them staring at him.

"Mr. Potter," the goblin interjected placing a pouch on the desk, "here is your money pouch. Because it has so much in it, when you go to pay place your hand into it, and think about how much you need. The enchantments on the bag will place the right amount in your hand, this way you will not have to dig about for the proper coins. Now that we have your proper magical signature we will be able to send you a bank statement that you should have received for this month.

"While I am certain you will have questions about what has been going on with the withdrawals that have been happening, all I can say is that your magical guardian has been doing things in what was supposed to be your best interest. As this is quite obviously not the case, and seems to have never been the case, we shall be taking note of what he has removed, and where it has gone. Once this list is compiled and you are able to come in we shall go over it. If you want money to have gone where he placed it, then it will stay, but if you do not agree then notices shall be sent."

"Is there a way to stop him from being my magical guardian?" Harry asked, hoping that he could change it so Dumbledore couldn't take money from him without his permission.

"There is," the goblin said happy to see the young man was a quick thinker. "You need to find someone, witch or wizard, that would be willing to take up that position."

"Director Bones," Dan said looking at the woman, "Harry's parents had placed you as someone they would have wanted to raise their son. Would you be willing to allow us non-magical custody, while you take us the role as magical guardian not just for Harry but for our daughter as well?"

"Please," Emma added looking to the woman, "this is the first we have heard of a magical guardian. It seems that it might be something we need, and we would rather a trustworthy person on the right side of the law take that mantle up, than some random person who may not even contact us."

"I would be honored," she finally managed to get out. "as a magical guardian, if anything happens while these two are at school I will be notified, and then it becomes my job to notify you." Rolling up the offensive scroll of abuse and neglect she slowly got to her feet. Placing the roll in her robes she moved over to stand before the two children.

"Now then, I need each of you to take one of my hands," she said with a kind smile. Both followed her instructions, and she let slip the stern façade she had to wear for work. "I Amelia Bones do hear by accept these two children, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter, as my magical charges. I swear to do what is in the best interest of them and their families, so mote it be." With the words said there was a coiling of light from around both of her hands that then reached out and wrapped around each of the hands she held, sealing when she was finished with a flash.

"Congratulations you are both now under the magical guardianship of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Bones," the goblin said with a frightening looking grin. He knew that Dumbledore was not going to know about the transfer of guardianship until he tried to come to the bank to pull more money, and that would be quite some time since the man was on the continent dealing with the ICW. "Now then Mr. Potter, you should take your key, and head with the Grangers to get your supplies. This letter with its offensive addressing that should have alerted someone to what was going on, will go with Director Bones as evidence."

"Thank you," Harry said both to the goblin and to Madame Bones. "Thank you for everything." Then taking his key he placed it into his bag.

QUEST COMPLETE: Separate from Hagrid to do your own banking 1000 EXP

QUEST COMPLETE: Meet Soul Mate 10,000 EXP

QUEST COMPETE: Get a new magical guardian 10,000 EXP

GAINED NEW LEVELS 12

GAINED POINTS FOR SKILL GRID 21

With that the family plus Harry left the office to head out and begin the school shopping. Behind them they left two people who were going to have to have a long talk in their own time about what to do with the nasty case that was beginning to pile up against one Albus Dumbledore.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Thank you for the reviews! Please do remember that this is a 1st draft, I am literally posting up what i write each day as a chapter. There are things I want to touch up and clean up, and even expand upon, but NaNoWriMo is all about get it down, edit later... like next month... or next year, or five years from now. So while I am trying to catch spelling and grammar errors, this story may get rough in spots.

All i ask is for your patience on that, and your forgiveness. Once I get this story finished, then i shall go back and begin to polish it up and fix what should be italics, bold, underlined, in brackets and all of that. I also invite all of you to look into NaNoWriMo aka national novel Writing Month. It can be a serious challenge at times when you get a block, but I wanted this challenge to be out there so that my friends could read as well. Putting myself out here like this, I am starting to find who I am as a writer. So to all those willing to bear with me, THANK YOU!

 **Chapter 5**

Making their way back into the bank lobby Hermione could only roll her eyes at harry, mostly for the fact that he skipped the tutorial. Thankfully she had gone through it, and Fatima had warned her that this might happen, thus she was given the ability to help him. Since she had gone through the thing, and read every bit of information, before they left the Alley she would be able to explain to him how to get the tutorial back up, as it was one quest that would sit off to the side until you did do it, a fail safe that she had hoped was unnecessary.

There towering over everyone in the lobby stood Hagrid, waiting for his young charge by the guard as they had agreed. Acting like the excited child he should be at this age Harry broke away from the Grangers and skidded to a halt at the half giant.

"Hagrid! I made a friend, she's going to be a first year as well!" it all tumbled out in a rush, and he was happy to see Hagrid's eyes light up in joy for him.

"That's great news harry," the man bellowed as he smiled to the family walking towards him.

"Can they come shopping with us too? Hermione's a muggleborn, and like me isn't sure about where to get all of this stuff."

"Right then," he said with a nod of his massive head. "Welcome to the Alley. I can give ye a hand in findin' what ye'll need," he said with a massive grin.

"Thank you Hagrid," Emma said as she craned her neck to look up at the large man. "It is nice to know that Hermione will know one child her own age at school, as well as one of the staff."

"Aw, well, I will do what I can ta help the kids," he said happily. "Now then, lets get these kids all kitted up fer their year!"

The whole shopping trip was a whirlwind of activity, first getting a trunk, then off to Malkin's for clothes where thankfully Draco was not. Moving from store to store, buying all of the important things, and even a few extra bits in the case of Harry, he was determined that the two of them would have enough stuff, and the right things to not only make it through this year but their entire schooling safe and sound.

Of course it was the bookstore where the hurried pace came to a grinding halt. While her parents became interested in some of the books on the healing aspect, Harry and Hermione moved off together into the shelves to have a quiet word.

"I hate that you have to go back to your relatives after all of this," she said in a whisper to him as they moved among the stacks.

"Yeah, but don't worry," he replied equally as quiet. "Bones put that charm on me, so I have no doubt she will come running if they do try anything. Plus it will give me a chance to get through the tutorial like I was supposed to."

"Oh, that's right. So to bring that back up," she closed her eyes for a moment and the world went on pause. "Okay, to bring it up again you need to bring open your quest menu while in the pause screen. Then you need to go to starting quests," she looked at him carefully. "You have been checking for side quests and the like, or have you just been doing the ones that pop up for you?"

"Um, there are side quests?"

"Oh Harry," she sighed with a shake of her head. "Check your quests menu when you get home. There will be a bunch of things you can do to get another level or so, but do not spend too many points on the grid just yet. I want to do that with you so that we can determine what might be the best move for the both of us."

"That is what I thought too. I want to make sure that we have the best skill sets, and then as we get more friends spend their points for them the best we can. I mean let's face it, Neville should be awesome at potions with the way he is with plants," he said looking over at the odd book titles.

"Yes, well we can get to that when we finally make friends with him on the train. For now though you really need to learn how to handle this game life thing you signed us up for." She sighed in frustration, "I am doing my best, but I only have minimal controls since you seem to be the one in charge. I have been using my examine skill all over the place, and have found out some rather interesting information from it."

"I learned some from using that as well, but after what I read about my uncle," he looked at her nervously, "I am not really sure I want to use it too often. I mean some things we keep hidden for a reason, and I did not want to know he was worse than I thought."

"Oh Harry!" She quickly wrapped him in a hug, "I'm sorry that happened."

"Its ok I guess, but just don't expect me to use it on people often," he said leaning into the warm embrace.

"Then just don't go using it on my parents, there are some shocks there I do not think you are ready for." He quirked a curious eyebrow at him but she shook her head, "I also learned some things that right now are not for the sharing. I am still dealing with the revelations. I did examine King Ragnarok though, and got some good news about him.

"Frankly he is on your side, and really enjoyed dealing with your parents. Something I did not know about goblins was that they are very protective of their children. Abuse to a child or a female will get them instant capitol punishment, so when he said he wanted justice for you, he really meant it."

"Well then, we will have to keep him up to date on things, and see if we can't get some laws to help them get better treatment. In fact, Hermione, can you recall the reason that there is not a branch office in Hogsmeade? I mean it would make sense, what with all of us kids at school," he said pulling from her arms.

"I will have to review my memories, but it does seem odd. However with as much as the witches and wizards are prejudiced it makes sense, after all they classify them as creatures and not people. Perhaps there will be something we can do later, but right now, we are just kids," she said with a smirk. "Now promise to me that you will do the tutorial when you get back to the Dursleys."

"I promise I will do the tutorial, and take up as many side quests as I can, the more points to spend the better. I am really glad you are able to do this with me, going at it alone, I could have lost sight or done something completely daft, like I may have the last go round."

"Get your first year memories Harry, you did many a daft thing. Some of them turned out having good consequences, but I think this time you need to not be trusting luck to pull you through, or your guardian angel. I think your last one might still be in traction somewhere," she said cheekily.

"I get it, I get it," he said as he un-paused the world.

So together they gathered up any book that might be interesting for them to read when they had the chance, or wanted to pause the world. While they did grab many a newer edition of the school books, they also went digging in the dusty and less traveled shelves for far older versions, as well as other interesting sounding books on plants, creatures, laws, and potions.

"Are you sure you want to buy all of those Harry," Emma asked looking at a particularly sad leather binding that the name had been rubbed off of. "Hermione didn't talk you into all of these did she?"

"Nope! I want to learn as much as I can," he said putting on the excited child act. "For once I can read whatever I want, and buy my own books. So I am going to learn as much as I can so I can do good in school. My parents will may have said that they were proud of me, but now I want to make sure I can live up to that."

"Oh Harry," she replied getting a little misty-eyed.

"Oh! We also found some other books that explain old wizard customs and holidays and the like. I figure to read that one first, and then Hermione can, and then we can leave it with you. Then you can learn about everything too," he grinned.

"Oh mum!" Hermione came from around another shelf with albeit smaller stack of books. "I found cookbooks, not potion books, but actual cookbooks. Some of the directions are funny sounding, but it looks like they have something similar to what Great gram used to make, and refused to share the recipe!"

"Really?" her mother took the top book off the stack and began to leaf through the book, "well now these are old. Many of these dishes fell out of favor, or have been changed to use other more modern spices and techniques. Good find sweetie!"

Harry and Hermione couldn't help but share a look and giggle at the way her mother was devouring the information and gasping at the moving pictures.

"This is amazing! With these pictures showing what they actually mean, I just might be able to make your grandmother's favorite desert. Of course she hasn't had it since Great passed, but I think that this will make a wonderful Christmas present for her. All her favorites in a glorious dinner," she sighed with delight just thinking about the wonderful tasting food.

"So you don't mind then that we get extra books?" Harry asked as he watched the woman in her happy place. Waved acquiescence was all they got back, and thus they began the piling of books onto the sales counter to be rung up and placed into a number of shopping bags.

Harry of course paid for the lot, though they sales woman did get a grin at Mrs. Ganger for the way she held onto the book like it was the Holy Grail. When they explained to the woman why she was acting that way about a simple cookbook, she nodded in complete understanding.

"There was a call for such books to be made in the seventies. Most families have their house elves do all the cooking, so they don't know the first thing about a kitchen, nor any interest in the books. However some muggleborns got it in their heads to put together a whole series of cookbooks and for about five years they were all the rage to have. Many just got them to say they had one, but I didn't think about how some family recipes might be rediscovered that way." She grinned down at the two kids, "I'll let my boss know since we have yet to have the big rush of sales. Maybe we can find some more muggle parents who might be interested in an old cookbook, with moving instructional pictures."

"Cooking programs are kind of a big thing for muggles, so I'm sure you will get a good number of them. Just put one of the books on a stand open to a picture showing how to do something, and you will have them," Hermione said giving some advice to the woman who nodded thoughtfully.

"Thanks for that," she nodded. "Now I put some featherweight charms on the bags, and shrunk the books down for you. When you pull a book out it will go back to normal size, so be careful not to spill them or you won't be able to get them back in there."

"Thanks!" they said in unison and gathered their bag and headed out to their last stop, Olivanders.

Thankfully Hermione's wand was found within ten tries. Once again, sadly, it took the better part of and hour before he got his wand, the same as last time. If he could have just told the man what he thought would work, it would have saved time, but also been a cause to question them both.

"Sir," Harry started as he stared down at his wand lovingly. "The goblin at the bank said that I should look into getting myself a wand holster, do you sell those?"

"Why yes I do," he replied rather taken aback. "A goblin gave you this advice?"

"Yes sir," he said looking up at the older gentleman.

"Did he charge you for this advice?"

"No," Harry replied rather confused. "Is it normal to be charged for advice in the wizarding world?"

"Oh heavens no, not by a witch or wizard, however the goblins usually charge for everything," he replied thoughtfully. "You must have gained their favor somehow, unknowingly, a very good thing to have, if you can get it, and manage to keep it."

With the purchase of two rather standard holsters they group left only to run into Hagrid who handed Harry his birthday present. The beautiful snowy owl, that he once again named Hedwig.

"Hey Hagrid, how do magicals send mail?" Harry asked as if he was curious and didn't already know.

"Well Harry we use owls to carry messages back and forth," the man said with a chuckle. "I bet ye yer owl there is smart enough to find anyone ye ask of her."

"Can we go to the owl shop? I want to get Hermione's parents and owl so they can stay in touch with her during the school year," he said with a grin. Dan and Emma looked surprised and thankful at his gesture, because they too had wondered how they were going to keep in contact with their only child.

"Harry you don't need to do that, we can buy our own owl," Dan said giving the boy a nod.

"Nope, I'm gonna buy it for you as a present for being so nice to me, and for looking out for me," he said in reply. Dan just closed his mouth trying to figure out a way to argue that point, and failing.

Pulling Hermione with him into Magical Menagerie he began looking over all of the owls and other birds that they had. For all she was worth Hermione extracted herself from his grip and went over to look at the small mewling kittens.

He stared at each of the owls, trying to somehow guess at the personality that each one had, before he saw the funniest face on one owl. It tilted its head all the way to one side, and then to the other staring at him as if he was the funny looking one. Taking a step towards the bird it suddenly looked aghast that he would step closer. That made up his mind; this funny owl would belong to the Grangers, and seemed smart enough to deliver mail. If it didn't have brains it definitely had looks and personality to make up for it. Turning he waved over the shopkeeper.

"Find an owl you like laddie?" the man asked with a touch of an accent through his bushy mustache.

"Yeah, I'd like to buy that one," he said pointing to the silly owl.

"Alright then, he's a long eared owl, so you know what to read up on. Will you be needing a cage and all of that for him?"

"Yes please, he's a gift for my friend and her family. That way they can keep in touch when we go off to school," he said grinning as the man brought the owl over to the counter.

"Well that is right nice of you! We don't see many people willing to buy an owl for muggle parents, but you are quite right. It is a good idea, many of them school owls are getting on in years. My last boy just graduated, and even he said it is a shame their owls aren't breeding the way they should. Bad omen that," he rambled and then looked at the young boy. "Ah but don't you worry none about that. You just see if you can't tell someone there in charge that they are needing some new owl lineages, might help them from declining as they are."

"I can talk to Hagrid about it, he's the one that brought me to do my shopping," he replied a bit worried about the owls at school now.

"Oh, I talked to him already. He said he had to speak with the headmaster about it before he could make a purchase like that. I figure though if a young strapping boy says something to a few fellow students, and then to maybe the Deputy Headmistress, something might finally be done before they have no owls left."

"I'll do that," he said sincerely, then looked about to see Hermione playing with all of the little kittens.

"Looks like you're friend might want a little kitten to take with her to school," the man winked at him. It was obvious to the man that the two were going ot be quite close.

"Can I pay for a kitten and all of the things needed for one as well? I don't think I'm going to get her out of here and to her parents unless she gets to take one home," Harry said watching his best friend giggle and play with all of the little fluffs.

"Smart boy you are," the man laughed and rang him up for all that was needed for his friend. He couldn't wipe the grin off of his face as he watched the dark haired boy approach his female friend carefully.

"Hermione, we need to be going now, I got your parents an owl," he said picking up one kitten and placing it back in the crate where it was supposed to be.

"Oh but Harry can't we stay just a little bit longer?" She turned and gave him the big pleading eyes, "please?"

"But we need to get going. Why don't you choose one, singular kitten," he said slowly as if trying to get through to someone who was not all there.

"Did you buy me a kitten," she asked all in a rush, and at the slightest of nods she made a squee sound and was hugging him tightly. "thank you thank you thank you Harry!"

As soon as it had happened the large shopkeeper let out a loud laugh at the whole situation.

"You choose any kitten that strike you Miss; I got all that you need packaged up here and a nice plush carrier as well. I'm sure a young lass like you will take great care of any of the little ones you take," he said watching her closely.

It took her all of a minute to pick up the squashed faced orange Persian kitten, tinier than any of the others. Carefully cradling him in her arms she brought him over to the counter.

"Right, let's see what you chose here," he said bringing his face closer to the counter. "You got an eye you do girl. This here is a half-Kneazle. Very intelligent, and a good judge of character, he'll protect you from bad people, and keep your house safe. So long as you trust in him, and take good care of him, he will do his best to let you know if a person is good enough to be around you." He gently picked the kitten up and put him into the carrier, "now also know that they tend to get a bit aggressive sometimes. Not to worry though, they won't do it for no reason. Also, while he can't speak to you the way we do, he does understand you, and can learn what some might call tricks, to let you now simple answers or words. I admit I was a bit worried for this one, he was the runt of the litter, so many people passed him over, but since you have taken a liking to him, I'm sure it just means he was waiting for you."

"Really?" she said struck by the idea that the cat could be destined for her.

"Let's just say young lady that no one really knows what goes on in a cat's mind. Not even a cat animagus is willing to try to explain any of why a cat does what it does to us. I figure cats might be smarter than we are, and they just know something is coming and when they need to act. This little one has been quite standoffish to many other kids and adults, but warmed right up to you, that says something doesn't it?"

"Yes, yes it does," she said picking up the carrier and looking into the eyes of her orange fluff ball. "Thank you."

"Thanks!" Harry said as well gathering up the owl and Hermione with her cat before exiting.

It wasn't until they got back over to the three adults that Hermione finally looked at the owl staring at her, and laughed. Looking at the bird she couldn't stop laughing as it raised one wing in a comical fashion and covered its face for a brief moment then looking at her again as if she suddenly appeared there.

"What's all this commotion about?" Emma asked then she too looked at the goofy bird, "is that bird playing peek-a-boo?" Hermione could only nod as she laughed each time the bird startled itself in finding people still there when it lowered its wing.

"well then this goofy thing needs a name. Harry did you have to find the funniest looking bird there?" Dan asked as he was questioning the sanity of the bird.

"Oh, yes sir. He has quite the personality to him. I figure he will make anyone smile when they see him, and he seems pretty friendly as well." Harry looked over at Hedwig who seemed unimpressed by the other owl.

"Archimedes, Archie for short," Hermione finally managed between the giggles. "He kind of looks like how I imagine Merlin's owl would look, what with all the strange things Merlin is said to have done."

"Now that you both have owls, and can send each other letters, keep it to one every few days, like a pen pal. Decent sized messages at that. You don't want to exhaust them with constant singular sentences and answers flying all over the place," her father said looking at the two kids. Once he had them nod in agreement the group headed off back through the Leaky Cauldron, and back out onto the London street.

"Alright harry, let's get you home ta yer relatives," Hagrid said as he began placing all of the purchases in the magical motorcycle.

"Can I call you later harry? Or you call me?" Hermione asked worried for her friend.

"No, the Dursleys wouldn't want me on the phone," he said looking rather torn about separating. "Can I owl you tomorrow?"

"Yes," she said and wrapped him in one of her famous Hermione hugs.

With a heavy heart he climbed into the sidecar, and waved as the Grangers wandered off. It wasn't until they were almost back to Surrey that Hagrid spoke to him.

"That Hermione seems ta be a good girl. Glad ya both were able to make friends," he said glancing at his young charge.

"Yeah, me too. I can't wait to hang out with her some more," he said looking up at the large bearded face.

"When I saw ya harry I thought ya would be more like yer dad, but ya are most like yer mum," he said with a tear in his eye. "She would be proud of ya I'm sure."

There was nothing more that could be said on that topic, but it did warm him to know someone else thought he would make his parents proud.

Sadly once he got back into the house, all happiness seemed to leave him. By the looks of the dishes on the table, they had already had dinner, meaning Harry had missed out. Lucky for him, he had managed to talk them into letting him into the sweets shop, and he had them all stored in his trunk.

The walrus of a man glared at him from his recliner, and his horse faced aunt stood boring holes into him from the kitchen door. Dudley was laying on the sofa flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch.

"I had hoped we would be rid of you freak," his aunt said with all the venom she had. "Since you are back, you can wash the dishes, but you missed the meal." Her sneer said it all, that she was glad she wasn't going to be feeding him anything.

"Because of all that nonsense with the mail, you are to clear our Dudder's second bedroom tomorrow. Then you can move all your freakish things in there with you," she sneered after him as she watched him take the dishes to the sink. "So tonight will be your last night in your cupboard. Be thankful of that."

"Thank you aunt petunia," he said clearly putting in all the gratitude he could muster at the moment. Meanwhile reminding himself, only about a month to go.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Short chapter today. Thank you for the reviews :) They are helping keep me motivated :) I might not be writing tomorrow, but we shall see. Tomorrow i have a rather lot of work to do at my job, and then I have to get out and vote. I am VERY fortunate that where I work I start at 8am and then go until i am done, so sometimes this means i get out around one, and other days... like Tuesdays... I am there for quite some time.

well I hope you all enjoy this short chapter, and i hope the tutorial doesn't feel like a filler chapter. This is my first Gamer style fic, so I'm learning as i go!

 **Chapter 6**

Once his aunt left the room to go sit with her family for a bit, before her own nightly routine, he felt safe enough to pause the world. There was no way he wanted any of his relatives in the room when he did that, just in case he accidentally un-paused and was suddenly doing something they deemed 'freakish', as that would only cause him more pain. On the other hand, if he did get them to strike him, then Director Bones would have to come and get him out of here, things to think on for later.

Taking a deep breath he opened the **menu** and then the **quest log.** He had to take a seat on the floor as he realized just how many quests he had yet to accept. Many of them he could have completed while going to Diagon Alley. Looking over the list, at the very bottom was in fact his Tutorial.

 **Tutorial – Accept Deny**

This time he accepted the quest. No time the like the present to get the thing out of the way, that way he could inform her via Hedwig tomorrow that he had in fact kept his word.

 **Welcome to the tutorial. In your time doing this quest you will be unable to accept any other quest. This is done to keep you from being bogged down with too many quests right from the get go.**

 **During your life as a Gamer many things will be different, for example the ability to pause time. This should be done in order to read important documents, examine locations, as well as to go over information with your bonded family members. Pausing is also a good thing to use when emotions get too dangerous, and one might make a rash decision that could result in the need of restoring a save point, or the general loss of life that would see you getting yet another stern talking to by your personal Death.**

 **Now if it happens that you had skipped this quest and ignored all the wisdom placed here, you will be happy to know that you will be able to just collect the experience points for having completed the things. Being as we suspect that Hermione Granger, Player 2, will have gone through this with a fine tooth comb, we suspect that Harry Potter, Player 1, will have skipped it to start with. The two of you will be happy to know that those of us who work in the GAMER LIFE DEPARTMENT were able to override Player 1's Death as he wished to force the young man to have to relearn all the controls of his life from eating, to walking, to even using the facilities. As humorous as this would be, we cannot in good faith force this to happen, as we were not certain how long it would be before he read this, and we did not feel a death from a bladder burst fitting, nor the idea of the embarrassment of wetting oneself in public.**

 **We hope both Players will be happy with this knowledge, as well as the fact that we have gone over your past lives in order to figure out how to set up quests, how quickly you should grow, and how the skill grid will work. Please understand that this grid is still in its experimental stages, though we are glad that you have chosen this option so that we may work out the kinks.**

The next few quests he was able to immediately complete, such as walking, examining, looking at the skill grid, sneaking, pausing and un-pausing, how to move through the menus.

 **Looking at your Diary – To look at your diary, you must be un-paused. You then reach into your trouser pocket and concentrate on your diary. This is an actual book but cannot be lost, if another person takes this book from your hand, the moment they set it down it will return to your personal inventory. This book will make an entry for every important thing that happens and may contain clues as to what you need to do next, if you get stuck. Anyone else trying to read this book will just see some kind of code, but the book has been 'spelled' to resist anyone trying to crack the code with a spell. To move onto the next part of the Tutorial you must un-pause and get your diary out.**

It was with a sigh he un-paused the game, and listened to the television and the muted voices of his relatives from the next room. Rather than just getting the book out, he continued to wash the dishes. It wouldn't do for them to get suspicious as to what he was doing if it suddenly got quiet when he was supposed to be working.

Once the dishes were resting in the drying rack he quickly collected the rubbish, and placed it in the bag. Taking the bag to the bin outside was the perfect excuse needed to pull out the book. So with practiced ease he pulled the bag out of the kitchen rubbish bin and hauled it through the garage to the side door where the bin for weekly pickup was. Once that was safe inside the bin, he reached into his pocked and though about this diary.

Lo and behold, he felt it in his hand. It was a shock, but as he pulled it out and opened it up, he got the reward for doing so. Inside this book were numerous tabs for quick finds, one was for people, places, and items, then there was one for spells, potions, and pranks.

Most of the pages were blank, but under people it contained what he had found out about his relatives, as well as the names of other people he had met with the **?** where the descriptive information would be. After reading about his so-called family he was not very keen to the idea of prying into someone else's life like that, but he could think of a few people he would most definitely have to read.

Once more pausing the world he checked to see what else he needed to do to finish this very informative quest. He was now a bit upset with himself for not doing this before, it would have saved him from feeling even more our of place, as well as probably gotten him more quests and levels before he had to get to school. The stronger he was, the better he would be for the long haul, and once he and Hermione got to school they could begin planning exactly what to do with their first year, and how quickly to view their last trip through this life year by year.

 **Saving – This will be a life saver. No seriously. You can have up to ten saves going at a time. The first save slot is designated for the auto-save. This happens when something big has just happened, you enter platform 9 3/4 , Hogwarts, Gringotts Bank, or the Leaky Cauldron. You will not be notified of an auto-save, as this would disrupt your life considerably.**

 **Because you are in school, we recommend saving at the end of every class to start with, just in case you get into trouble getting from class to class. This means as well you will not have to redo classes if you reload because you got into trouble. We here in the department can think of nothing worse than having to sit through the same lecture twice because of trouble and having to reload a save, and it would be absolute torture to have to repeat more than one because of an issue that happened later in the day. Consider this friendly advice on why it is very important to save often.**

 **In order to save, merely concentrate on the function and a screen will pop up showing all current saves that you have done.**

Quickly harry brought up his window and did a save in slot 2. May as well get that out of the way, since he was back here it might do well to save often as well, who knew what pain he could save himself by a quick reload.

 **Load Game – Like the save function just concentrate on it and the screen of your saves will pop up, and you will be able to choose one to reload. Also of note, if you have forgotten when a save was done in your life, you can check your diary. After you make your first manual save a tab will appear in the book that will give you a brief summary of what had just happened before the save took place.**

That would be very helpful. It wasn't that his memory was the worst, it was just that there was always so much going on he couldn't always recall everything like Hermione did, at least not yet anyway. Her scary ability to recall things was something he really wanted to purchase right now, but he had to get there by buying other skills first, and for that he would need to level up to get enough points to get it.

 **Inventory – This life hack is almost a cheat for you. We simply ask that you use it quite wisely. Food can be stored in the inventory as can potions, and while in this space IT WILL NOT AGE. So food placed in just after you finished cooking it, when removed a month later will still be as fresh as if you just finished cooking it.**

 **However you should be warned you should not place living things in your inventory. So unless you want to kill something, DO NOT PUT LIVING THINGS IN YOUR INVENTORY!**

 **To open just concentrate and a new screen will appear. This screen will have tabs for easy access, tabs for food, school supplies, books, clothes, weapons and armor, quest items, and misc.**

Harry was thrilled by this prospect. Now he could hoard food, and keep things away from people if he needed to. It would also give him the chance to store potions to bring home with himself every summer in order to heal wounds and the like instead of lying around and suffering.

But the first thing he was going to do was to get into his trunk and put things into his inventory. If they decided to lock him into that cupboard early he most definitely wanted something to do instead of read over all the quests he could have gotten done had he just done the tutorial like he should have.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Sorry this took much longer than I had hoped. I meant to take 2 days off from writing so i could get over the block that was forming, but then life happened at work... twice... so been a bit stressed out. However here is my next installment, and with luck I will get more out tomorrow as well! Husband has a Mage Game to get to, so the house is all mine... no distractions from writing other than my 4 cats...

So please enjoy, and i hope this answers some of your questions that might be popping up, and more will be answered. Just remember there was a lot of paper added to that binder by Fatima and Discordia...

 **Chapter 7**

With the world moving once more he crept quietly back into the house. He didn't want his relatives hearing him and getting upset that he dared to disturb them. If he did then he would have to deal with being yelled at, given another chore, or just outright locked into his cupboard again.

One he finally reached the trunk set neatly in the hallway next to his little door, he carefully eased the latches open. Carefully he opened it and slid out the drawer that contained his private library, well one of two drawers. The question then became what to read first, Hogwarts: A History, Quidditch Through The Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, one of the many cookbooks, or one of the books on how to brew potions for beginners.

The Quidditch book was in his hands and open just in time to hear his cousin coming down the stairs. While his mind was much older, muscle memory is a frightening thing, once you are taught and go through the same situation over and over the body remembers. So while he wanted to quickly close the trunk and get back into the kitchen so that his cousin wouldn't see him, a logical choice, his body froze in place, as if hoping that by not moving he would be passed over by the bully as unimportant.

When the small land bound whale reached the base of the steps and saw his cousin, he smirked and headed over to make some comment or another. Though that thought fled the large boy's mind as he saw the image on the cover of the book move, a man doing a flip on the broom to keep some kind of ball away from a hoop, a flip that imitated a goalie trying o keep the football from entering the net. Opening his mouth to speak he was stopped at the sound of hearing his mother laugh at the sitcom they were watching.

"What's that?" he said quietly while motioning to the book.

"It's," he looked to the book then lifted it to show is cousin better. "It's a sport that's really popular in the magical world, called Quidditch. They play it at the school, so I thought I should look into it." Harry kept his voice low as well, while watching the face of his cousin. In all his current memories he never recalled having a conversation like this with his cousin before.

"That goalie there, he's on a broom." It was a statement as if he wanted to make sure he was seeing what he was, and not going mad. "The picture moves. That normal there?"

"From what I can tell, yeah, some of the school books have moving pictures in them. Might make it easier to learn some things easier to learn, being able to see it done over and over like that." Taking another chance he set the book down and drew out Newt's book on creatures and opened it to the dragons. He knew his cousin loved games, and dragons were usually one of the boss fights. "Oh, and Dudley, dragons are real," he said as he handed to book with the pages open for his cousin. The picture was of the Welsh Green taking off into flight on one page and on the other spitting fire.

Dumbly his cousin to the book and stared at the pages in awe and wonder. There were no words to be said by the large boy as he stared at something that looked so much like the dragon from Dragon's Lair, and he had yet to beat that blasted game.

"You get to learn about all of this in school? You get to study dragons? Do you think you will get to get near one?" His eyes were wide as he looked to his scrawny cousin.

"Learn about, yeah, but I don't think I want to get close to a dragon anytime soon. Maybe they do field trip and the like, but I'm not sure. If they do, I'm sure I'll have to get your parent's permission," he said with a sigh.

The two sat in silence for a moment, before Harry's eye caught on something. It was the package for a chocolate frog, something that might entertain his cousin.

"Hey, wanna try a candy from the magical world? You wouldn't be able to tell your parents though," Harry said almost pleadingly to his cousin. "I know they don't like the magical world, and well, I'm not sure they'd be happy to know I was sharing any of it with you, but, well," he reached in and pulled out the package.

"Chocolate frog?" he asked confused as to if it was a chocolate covered frog, like they did with ants or grasshoppers.

"Its chocolate shaped like a frog, and it has a spell cast on it, so that it can leap around like an actual frog. I had a few today, and not only is it really good chocolate, but its fun too." He offered the confection, and his cousin warily took it, "open it in your room, with the door closed. That way it can't get away from you. I lost my first one, it leapt out an open window," he said with a bit of a grin. "I had no idea, startled me, but when I opened the second one I was ready for it."

"Thanks," his cousin said with a bit of a nod before pocketing the candy. "You mind if I borrow this book with the dragons in it?"

"Sure," harry said stunned by the way his cousin was right now. "If you like I can get you some more books the next time I can get into their shopping district."

Dudley nodded then with a broad smile walked into the living room.

"I'm gonna go to bed," he told his parents during the first commercial break.

"Sleep well," his father gruffed.

"Goodnight Diddydums, rest well," his mother said in her saccharine way when she talked to her son.

When he passed by to head up the stairs he nodded to his cousin, then stomped up the steps giving Harry the noise he needed to cover the sound of him closing and latching the trunk. Once he had it just as it had been he retreated to the washroom on the main floor and prepared himself for being locked in the cupboard overnight, but at least it would be the last night. Tomorrow he would have his day cut out for him cleaning that spare bedroom.

As quietly as he could he tried to make it to his cupboard, but his Aunt's stern gaze found him in the hallway.

"Into your room Freak. Be happy it will be your last night in there, and that we are going to be kind enough to let you borrow Dudley's spare room. If you do anything freaky, it will be back to the cupboard with you. Now get in!" she snapped at him and pointed to the tiny door.

Not wanting to be cuffed about the head he quickly entered the small space. The door was smartly slammed and locked behind him. Holding still he heard his aunt move about and then head upstairs for the night.

With no light creeping in under the door, reading a book was out of the question. With that plan ruined he went on to the next order of business, his memories. Since he had nothing but time to kill until he was actually tired, he would let time move forwards while he looked them over.

For a cost of zero points he could review the memories of this childhood, and his last go around. So since he knew that this time was shorter he purchased it.

Memories flooded his mind filling in gaps here and there, and due to the Occlumency skill not only were they sorted quickly but each memory was much clearer than it had been. Now that he had refreshed his memories of what had happened in this life, he could be able to see what was different in his last time round.

Once more he opened the menu and chose the memories from his lat time, that childhood, should be almost a duplicate. What could have changed? It couldn't have been worse than this time, could it? He recalled his Death stating that he hadn't met Hermione until the train last time, but surely they had met on the platform or the station ahead of time? Soon he would find out, and he would see everything right up until he went onto that platform. So taking in a fortifying breath, he resolutely accepted that past into his mind.

Once more his muscle memory had to kick in, this time to keep him from crying out at the many differences in the two lives.

In both lives he had been beaten, forced to do chores, treated as less than human. However in this life his cousin had not come after him at school as much, and looking through it with his more capable mind he saw things he wouldn't have noticed before. Moments where his cousin would glaze over in the eyes for a moment before looking at him with the same loathing his parents had for him, moments where he had managed to get away with little things.

In this life, after the first letter they had not sent him to that small room, instead he was still kept here. After the next day he had heard them considering the thought, but then the next batch of letters, and his uncle had almost needed the doctors, he had gone purple with rage. His aunt had eventually taken him just after dinner, since he had still been shaking, but he had been locked in his cupboard all day. It hadn't been until the next morning he had been let out to clean, and he had found one letter his guardians had missed, stuck under the sofa all the way in the back by the wall where the hoover would not have a chance of reaching it. In this life he had gotten a letter, but not been able to do anything with it, and then like the life before it became too much and they ended up on that rock on a stormy night.

Watching his memories and finding so many varied differences was harder on him than he had thought. Some things were so slight like a different color shirt, or some other small thing, but then there were the big changes.

The longer stay in the cupboard, the punishments where he was starved more often than the last go. The number or bones that must have gotten broken this go round, the arguments he had overheard this time through, last time his aunt had never pushed issues, this time she had on some things. Last time she had sometimes treated harry with a small bit of kindness, this time there was nothing but ice and thorns towards him. Last time Dudley had taken to using him as stress relief and his personal punching bag whenever he was bored, or just for fun with his friends, and this time, well, there were times where in the previous times he would have gotten floored, but this time he just seemed to ignore him instead.

Then there was Hagrid and doing all the shopping and the visit to the bank. If his account had been flagged, then why didn't that goblin stop him from taking money out? Why had he not taken him to where he was supposed to go? It made no sense, unless the goblin had been in on some plan to keep him from knowing things. That was going to need answers, and in order to get those he would have to view all of his old memories, and hope something in them would give him a clue or tell him why.

The biggest change he had seen was in his early childhood, it seems Lily had paid Petunia a visit in a park. Dudley had been off with his father and aunt Marge, so that she could have a day to herself. Every detail was now burned into his memories, the sunny cloudless day, the way his mother played with him while they waited, and how his mother had set him on a blanket to play with some non-magical toys with they had talked, or later argued.

"Petunia, please," his mother had said offering her the seat on the bench.

"I thought I had made it clear that I want none of that nonsense," she responded sharply.

"I left it all in my car. Listen, I know we had our falling out, and we had our differences as children, but," she sighed softly and giving a pleading look to her sister. "Mum and Dad are worried about you sis. You haven't posted or phoned them in months, not since Dudley was born."

"Don't you say my son's name! You might curse him!"

"Just call mum and dad, okay? I know that you," she had to pause as she took in a fortifying breath, "love Vernon. I also know that you understand that I cannot stand him, nor can our parents."

"I wont hear this! You asked me out here for a chat, and we have. You leave my marriage and family out of your freakishness! Perhaps you married for money, or maybe you had been knocked up already, but I shall not listen to you besmirch the name of my loving and successful husband, you bitch!" With that his aunt slapped his mother and then stormed off.

Lily cried before a big black dog had come up and snuffled her and got her moving off to the car with her beloved son and belongings. She kept whispering to baby Harry how wonderful he was, and a treasure.

This one memory was only in this life, not his last one. They had never met with him around in the last timeline. It gave him all the more reason to hate his relatives, not that he really needed more

Once more he brought up the grid, may as well get his first school year done. That way he would know what books to look at and begin understanding things, even if the homework assignments weren't the exact same, he would have a bit of a head start on things.

He thought he had been ready, and he was a fool for it. The help from the Weasley's to get to the platform, sitting with Ron, the way he looked at Hermione when she came in, Malfoy and his bookends, the sorting, classes, the troll, potions class with Snape, flying, Quidditch, Quirrel, the tests, the mirror, getting the stone, the last minute points, the homework, and all the snide comments, the way that he only had two friends really and how odd that seemed.

As he came out of the memories that flashed before him he found his face wet. He had cried from some of the things he had gone through, but it was strange that he had never questioned anything. The way some people seemed to come towards him and then Ron would lead him away, the looks Ron had shot others coming near their table from other houses, and so much more.

All of it mad his happy, sad, angry and confused all at once. Why would you place a valuable object behind a bunch of traps, other than the troll, that a bunch of firsties could get past? Never mind that a seasoned wizard would have no trouble until that mirror. It was insane! Was this what awaited him in the magical world? A friendship with possibly only two people, even though he was supposedly famous, and teachers that ignored him or mistreated him, or perhaps now that he knew something, maybe he could change his luck a bit? He had already made friends with his soul mate, so maybe if he didn't sit with Ron, but a cabin with other students instead of trying to sit by himself he could make more friends right away. This time it would be different, and he would not put up with Ron's snoring.

After all of that it had to be late, and his mind was still in a bit of turmoil sorting memories from a whole lifetime thus far and a school year he had yet to do. Now he understood why it was a good idea to not do all his old memories at once, even what he had done was a bit much, and since he had already had an attempt at his life in his first year, and from what he had been told he had died many times before, so each year might be more dangerous and hard to stomach. So he would have to wait until he knew he had enough time free to deal with everything that might come from those memories. With luck Hermione would be a big help in getting through everything, and know how to make heads or tails of things.

Turning over on his small makeshift bed he tried to get comfortable enough for sleep so his brain could have some time to rest. However just as he was about to drift off he could hear someone creeping down the stairs. Had he been asleep he might have missed it, but with the amount of dust that came down, he probably would have sneezed himself awake had he been on his back.

Listening as hard as he could he could hear the person stop outside his little door. Then he heard the latches on his trunk open. The thunk as the trunk opened made him and the person outside hold their breath for a few moments. Then he reached over and tapped on the door.

"Dudley is that you?" he whispered

"Yeah," he replied after sound of muffled surprise. "One sec." Then the lock slid free and the door opened.

Dudley was in all black with a black bandana covering the lower half of his face, and a small flashlight. He looked like he was dressed up from one of those spy movies where they were about to break in and steal the Queen's Jewels.

"So, um," his cousin began. "I looked at some of the creatures that are magical, and read up on the dragons that were in the book, seems like the video game people might have a person like you on staff to get it right, some of the stuff in games is a bit different, but most of the basics are still the same."

"So you snuck down here to return it?" Harry asked now completely confused by his cousin.

"Yes, no, well," he sat down and pulled the fabric off the lower part of his face. "I wanted to return this one, and see what else you had. The moving pictures and all is wicked cool. Would've helped in history class to see the battles played out, moving and all, probably would've helped my grades."

"Would've helped a lot of people stay awake," he replied with a grin, earning him a grin and a snicker from his obese cousin.

"Yeah, probably," he said and then sobered up a bit. "Harry," he started the name feeling almost awkward from him, "what was it like to shop in the wizard place? I mean do ads and such move too?"

"It was amazing. To get in you have to tape a series of bricks and then the whole wall just moves and opens up into an archway into what they call Diagon Alley. Some of the stores have these large signs outside, and yeah they move. People on posters wave at you, or show you the newest product and what it does," he started feeling himself get happy just thinking of the bustling alley. "They have this ice cream parlor that has so many different flavors, it would take a year or more to try every combination, though the toffee flavor is rather good.

"Then there is the clothes shopping, I thought it was going to be a pain because of all the trying on and all that. I see how much you hate it, but here it was so different. They have magical tape measures that measure you all over, and then it records the measurement on a pad they have. They take down what it is you need, and ask you to put on a few things, and while they are on you they can change how they look or the colors. After you make your choices they tell you how long, and then you go do other stuff and come back and they have everything made. I mean everything, it was the least painful clothes shopping I have ever heard of. They even put a charm on all of my clothes so that if I have a growth spurt I wont have to rush to them during winter break. I can just wait until next summer, or maybe even the summer after that. Plus if I need anything while I am at school," he grinned at his cousin, "I can mail them what I need and since they have all my measurements they can just charge my bank account and send me the clothes."

"So all that stuff I have to go through tomorrow, all the measuring and such for my school uniforms?"

"The magical world would need you on the stool for five minutes and have it ready in about half an hour, or less," he said with a grin. "Plus of course the charms on it so if you gain height, or if you gain or lose weight, your clothes always fit just right."

"I'd rather go there than to where mum is planning. She blocked off the whole day for me to get fitted for uniforms, and other clothes for school," he sulked. "Dad's off to work all day, and mum and I will," he stopped.

"What?"

"Your mum was my mum's sis, right?" Dudley had an idea, and though Harry was certain he knew where this was going, he would wait and see for himself just what came from his cousin, so he nodded in the dim light. "So my mum should know where this place is right?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know if you can get in without a magical person," he said actually uncertain of this.

"Well then what if I talk mum into bringing you with us? Then we could go to where you went, and afterwards get some ice cream and then come back here without the whole day being a boring waste."

"I'm not sure," he replied rather reluctantly. "I'd like to show you around the shops, but I'm not sure your mum would like the idea very much."

"Harry, I always get my way," he said with a grin. "You let me handle mum and dad. Tomorrow you can show me all over the place, and the candy store too. That frog was the best chocolate I have ever had."

"Okay," he said still uncertain this was a good idea but his cousin was now set on his course. "If you can get them to agree to it, then I have no problems with it."

"Deal," he replied with a grin and held his hand out to seal the deal. With that done he stood back up and put the cloth back over his face, "right, well, see you in the morning."

"Night," Harry replied still a bit stunned. This had not happened before. It was a new development, and he would have to write Hermione first thing in the morning, well once he found out if he was going to be locked in the cupboard all day, or back off to go shopping.

For now however he merely put eh book back where it belonged and resealed his trunk, that done, he moved back into the cupboard and closed the door before heading off to sleep himself, because now he was exhausted.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Okay, so now thing gets moving a bit more. Now I know that this story might lose some readers, and sadly i know that some people do not like character bashing, however there will be some. Does not mean that the character cannot grow and learn and become a better person, but bashing will happen. Also as you can tell Albus is rather manipulative, I am uncertain if the story will make him evil, or just manipulative for a greater good that only he can see.

My story has a base idea, and a bit of an idea where I would like it to go, but then I let the story do as it wishes. I am having fun writing this, and never expected so many to be reading it. Again i know there are going to be errors still in here, but that is why I state this is a 1st draft and being written for NaNoWriMo. Well here is the next installment!

 **Chapter 8**

It was a restless night of sleep plagued by faces, and things that he had lived in this life and the last. He knew it was just his mind sorting through everything and trying hard to make sense of having two similar memories for every day he had been alive as well as for days he had yet to live.

Waking fully to his aunt pounding on the door, and to the massive headache, he suddenly wished he had only done one set of memories.

"Why was your door unlocked," his aunt snarled at him as he snapped the door open.

"Wha?" he started and clenched his eyes shut and held his throbbing head. "Sorry Aunt Petunia, I really don't know."

"What's wrong with you?"

"I have a very bad headache; may I please take some medicine for it? I know you have a lot or me to do today, and I don't want to burn breakfast," he said hoping that his reasons would be enough for her to allow it this time.

"One pill, no more," she snapped. "Now get to it, you have half an hour before they are down to eat." Her glared stayed with him as he stumbled to the w.c. and as he took the single pill he was allowed, before she left him alone to do his own very quick morning routine.

Then once more he found himself at the stove making the enormous breakfast that he probably wouldn't get to partake of. However with his new inventory ability and no one else in the kitchen, he quickly made himself a bacon sandwich and placed it in the limbo to eat later, when no one was home. The mere thought of being able to eat without anyone in the house made him a bit more brave as he tossed some scrambled eggs and toast on a plate and into the space as well, however his plans ended when he heard someone coming down the stairs, and by the groaning of the boards it was to be his walrus of an uncle.

Quickly he grabbed the coffee pot and took it to the table, it was always the first thing he wanted before he sat down to eat. Having set it just moments before the man came into the dining room he scurried back into the kitchen to make the man a plate of food, enough to choke a hog, but who was he to judge.

As much as he wanted to leave this place, he loathed the idea of the pain that they could inflict on him. If it was just being trapped in the cupboard for the entire day, he could handle that no problem and Hermione would come quickly when she didn't receive an owl from him today. So there was a failsafe in place.

Soon as the plate touched the table he moved away to make plates for his aunt and cousin would arrive at about the same time. The routine really did not vary much from last life to this, and for that he was actually quite glad. Having something to fall back on that even this body could recall doing, well it was almost like sleepwalking, and if he could just keep that up without causing too much of a stir, well, he'd be home free without any more broken bones, and just rescued from neglect.

As everyone else sat down to eat, harry began to wash the dishes. Just to keep up with the idea that he hadn't made extra food other than what was keeping warm for those at the table. With him busy it was obvious to the family that he wouldn't be able to sneak any of the food before he was allowed.

"What have you planned for the day my Pet? I know the freak will be hard at work cleaning Dudley's second room out," his uncle asked from behind the paper.

"Today I am taking Dudders to get his measurements and his uniforms for Smeltings made up. Our precious boy is going to look so smart in them," she beamed proudly at her obese son who stabbed at the food on his plate. "What's wrong Dudders?" she asked seeing his expression.

"I don't want to spend all day getting prodded and poked with pins," he said sulkily.

Had Dudley stopped there and just went back to eating the day probably would have played out with him being placated by some treat or food, or something while they were in London. But Dudley hadn't stopped there, not with the idea his cousin had been forming since last night. However he had always gotten what he wanted, no matter what, so why would this be any different?

"I want to go where Harry got his uniforms done at. They only take minutes to do, and then we could have the whole day free," He looked up with a proud grin thinking that this would make him looks mart. "The people on that side are bound to have some more neat books with moving pictures in them, like the ones Harry was looking at last night."

In the kitchen harry closed his eyes and pleaded that this was just another nightmare and that this was seriously not happening. While his cousin was a bit thick, he was in no way a moron, and even he could tell that he must have said something wrong, because his mother dropped her fork and looked ready to cry, while his father threw the paper tot eh floor and glared at his son, the first time a glare like that had ever been directed towards him and not to his scrawny cousin.

"What did you say?" his father ground out glaring at his son with venom he had never had to face.

"I," he paused to swallow and take a breath. "I, I said, I wanted to go where Harry went. He got a whole bunch of clothes done in one day! If I got my uniform done there then it would be done faster, and harry said they put magic in them so that if I grow we don't need to replace them the grow with me for a bit."

To the casual observer this was far from the right thing to say to a man who hated anything he considered abnormal, and the fact it was coming from the mouth of his own son was obviously having a negative affect on the man. However Dudley was trying to use what grasp on what he thought was logic, by giving valid reason on why this was such a great idea.

Harry however was not a casual observer, he knew what his uncle's breathing pattern meant, and by the color creeping into the man's face today was not going to be a good day. Thankfully his aunt had yet to do anything more than stare and look like a gasping fish at her son, like he had suddenly grown a second head one wing and a horn from both his heads. Knowing this was going to be bad he turned his eyes back to the dishes, perhaps he could just wake up now?

The harsh sound of flesh on flesh made him jump and drop the pan to the floor causing more noise, and drawing attention to him from his cousin who was shocked at the fact that his own father had struck him. This set things into motion, his aunt shrieked at the fact her son had been hit, and his uncle rose up menacingly from the table and in one quick motion released his belt. That sound made harry want to run, but if he ran it would be worse, and logically he knew there was that spell on him, but the fear was how long would it take her to get there? Would he and his cousin be dead, or would it just be him?

"What did you do to my son you freak!?" his aunt wailed, "undo it this instant and give me back my NORMAL sweet caring boy!" His aunt was seeing red, but his uncle was already past that point.

"That Freak may have infect your boy," the man growled out. "Only cure is a good lashing for that."

"Da-dad?" Dudley looked up in fear at his father as he snapped the leather belt double and glared at his son.

"Not my boy! Kill the freak maybe that will end whatever he has done!" Petunia screamed as she tried to stop her husband from taking a swing at her precious boy.

"You bring the freak here, while I give your son a lesson that he remembers about all that freakishness." While Petunia wept for the pain her son was about to endure she rushed into the kitchen and sunk her perfect nails into the flesh of his shoulder and shoved him out to the living room as they could hear Dudley wail from the mere three lashes he got. Then the man turned and stalked towards his nephew.

"Strip him down, and hold him across that," he said to his wife gesturing to a gift from Aunt Marge to them, a well lacquered wooden footrest.

"p-please no," harry couldn't help but get out, but it was no use his shirt and pants were removed quickly from him being that they were so large. His Aunt then got a devilish look in her eyes as she held his arms so that he was bent forwards over the stool on his knees.

"You will never cause harm to another family again you freak!" she spat at him as the first lash came down across his back. Then a second, and then the pounding on the front door, and Dudley still wailing in the dining room, but no one seemed to hear the door. A third lash and the door was opened by a bobby who was being followed in, but then the fourth lash hit.

He waited for the fifth but it never came, both his abusive relatives were frozen. The police were coming forwards to remove the belt from his uncle and prepared to cuff his aunt as soon as the spell was released.

While the two magicals looked over the room for anything else that could prove harmful, and the bobbies were writing down what they were seeing, Madame Bones stepped into the house and closed the door.

"I am so sorry Harry," she said as she offered a hand up to the young man. She had conjured a blanket to wrap him in. "As much as I wanted to remove you yesterday, we had to get it on file with the muggle police, and the fact that they were caught in the act seals their fates in Her Majesty's courts. I had my alarm on you, but I also put a tracker on you so that one of my finest could sit and watch. This is Alicia Dent."

"Hello harry," the kind looking blonde woman said as she looked at him. "I was on watch there on the patio; I heard and saw it all. My brother in law," she motioned to one of the men in blue, "Simon, and his partner, Simon," she smirked, "were parked across the street waiting for my signal. They got the all clear from their boss on a tip off last night."

A temporary silencing charm was placed on his relatives before they were unfrozen and cuffed before being marched out in front of the neighbors and placed in the car.

"Now," the blonde said looking at him and then at his cousin who was now also wrapped in a soft conjured blanket. "We are going to take both of you off to the hospital to get checked over, the magical one. My sister will meet us there, she's a squib that works with child protective services and welfare programs. Now since this is a muggle neighborhood we are going to get into a car, and we are going to drive to a prepared location, and then take you both by apperating to the hospital, is that alright with both of you?"

"Thank you Alicia," Bones said looking at the two boys. "I will be coming with the two of you to make certain precautions are taken for this whole situation. Once that is handled I shall go fetch the Grangers, as I am certain they will want to come right away."

"I was supposed to send Hermione an owl today," Harry said numbly.

"Yes well, I will be your owl and she can come visit you," she replied calmly while wanting badly to curse those two supposed relatives.

The neighbors watched and gossiped quietly about what could possibly be going on. However when the investigative unit showed up, with another auror on the team, bones couldn't help but smile. The secrecy was going to be cared for quite well today, and with a joint operation such as this, there would be no way Albus would be able to deny what had happened here.

"Be sure to look at the cupboard under the stairs gentlemen. Seems they were keeping one of the kids there instead of a proper bedroom, and I noticed dried blood in there as well," Bones called out for the gossips to hear, and watched their eyes go wide. If those two were to ever set foot back here again they would be ruined.

"What's going to happen to my cousin?" Harry asked Bones as the car began to move.

"Well for starters," she placed her hand on Dudley. "I Amelia Bones do hear by accept this child, Dudley Dursley, as my magical charge. I swear to do what is in the best interest of him, so mote it be." As soon as the flash happened harry felt he could smile again.

"Dudley isn't magical though, can you still be his magical guardian?" he asked happy but a bit confused.

"Magic says yes. He is now my ward through magic, just like my niece Susan, Hermione, and you. This means that I can make certain that he gets into a very good muggle school as well, and if the Grangers are unable to take you both, then I will have him live with me until school begins. I will make sure he is safe, and gets whatever treatment he needs harry, though right now it seems to be shock."

"His father hit him in the face, and three times with the belt," he looked to the still shocked crying face of his cousin. "It was the first time he was ever punished like that."

"What did he do to make him so angry?"

"He asked to go get his school uniform made in the magical world so he wouldn't have to waste a whole day and be stuck with pins," he replied looking down at his hands.

Far above them in an office where Harry had recently sat signing contracts to return, Jacob sat very confused. He was going through the binder that was now impossible to add or remove things without proper authorization.

"This wasn't in here before," he muttered as he looked over the various things. "Family life has been altered this time through as normal, but this page was not here before, and then those pages in the soul bond area. Who could have," he stopped and grabbed his phone quickly dialing Fatima.

"Hello?" came her sweet voice.

"What did you do? I am going over the binder on Mister Potter and there have been pages added all through the book, pages that change, well everything! THIS could get me fired! THIS was NOT the approved plan!"

"Jacob, you need to relax. You will not be fired for this, as I authorized these changes. I have prophecies that are rather old due to the wars that happened on earth. This is my way of fixing them, with a bit of help. So relax, and just let it happen, if you were to meddle there now, then you will be canned." He could almost hear her grin over the phone, "Discordia and I have our reasons."

"You let that kender write things for this life!?"

"Half kender, Jacob, only half. She makes a wonderful goddess of chaos and discord, and is much more helpful than the least one we had on committee. Seeing as her father is the God of Organization, she has a bit more tendency to understand and want to help in tying up some very loose ends, and that world has been sitting on far too many for far too long.."

"But you gave him more than one soul mate!?"

"I do not expect you to understand the intricacies of this, but in order to move things out of stagnation it needs a big of a powder keg to go off. I just got help in setting the charge and lighting the fuse. Now relax, I spoke with Amore about this when Harry had his last life, and still didn't get his soul mate. You want me to send the lover scorned your way? You know how she gets when her matches do not happen."

"Nope, I'm fine with not dealing with her," he gulped. "Why didn't you tell me about the changes?"

"Plausible deniability Jacob, we want to keep you in your position, but you are far too strict on some of the rules, so we just did this to help fix the issue. Now relax, have some popcorn and enjoy the show."

He heard the click, and then set his own back in the cradle. At least the changes about to strike the unknowing young man was not his doing, and he was not going to get into trouble over it. So as to not give himself an ulcer over what might happen next, he instead placed the binder back in his currently living file, and moved back to those he still had to finish with from the last world war. So many deaths and he was tasked with all worldly disasters such as that one was.

Mrs. Figg probably would have noticed something strange going on, however a nice young auror had shown up at her door early that morning. She was going to ask him why he was there, but she found herself answered before she could ask and was brought in for questioning about Harry Potter. She wasn't really certain why they would need to ask her anything as she was only there to keep an eye on things for Albus. Her job was to simply report so that if he needed to step in he could, otherwise she was to just let things take their natural course.

However it seemed to her as the questioning went on, that perhaps she should have done something, even though Albus had told her that James Potter had also been a scrawny child.

Once the group cracked into being in the emergency arrivals for the aurors at St. Mungos, both young boys collapsed and proceeded to be sick from their first side-long trip, and then helped up and moved into a room with two beds, the woman who was in the room came over and smiled the way you expect a grandmother would at her two grandsons.

"You poor dear boys," she said as she reached out and touched both of their cheeks. She saw the near flinch from harry and the shock retreating from the larger boy, "Don't either of you worry now. You are both safe here, and we will make certain no one knows you are in here, so you can heal up right and proper. My name is Clara, and my assistant likes to be called Dezzi. From here on out the two of us will be your personal healers, even when you head off to school."

"Can you help Dudley first?" harry asked the woman, who just smiled lovingly at him.

"Certainly, but before we start I should let you know that Director Bones has headed out to get the family that will most likely be caring for the two of you once you leave here." She bustled over to a door that they hadn't come in from and motioned for two girls to come through.

"Hello, I'm Mary, Alicia's sister. Now I don't want either of you to be alarmed, but I am going to have to take some pictures of your injuries. These are going to go into your files, as well as into the case file against your abusers. What happened to you is not your fault," she had a kind face and was also a blonde, and seemed a bit younger than the auror.

"I'm Dezzi Johnson," the other girl said with her black hair up in a bun. "My baby sister is Angelina, a Gryffindor, and a chaser on the quidditch team." She moved over between the boys as well and tried to keep a warm smile on her face though her eyes were grin with worry about how bad off the might actually be. "Even so I won't let her know you boys are here, after all we take oaths to protect our patients."

The two medi-witches helped the boys through the almost humiliating task of having the pictures taken of the injuries, and answering the questions about what happened that caused this today.

"Well we can't very well bring up magical things in a court of non-magicals. So I am going to alter your statements for them just a little bit. Neither of you will need to testify for any of this, as there were plenty of witnesses, and the police are taking statements from your neighbors on things."

Harry was very proud of his cousin, though it seemed while he was answering things he was still in a bit of shock. While the whole thing felt a little awkward to him, he was glad that he had someone he knew nearby, even if it was his own cousin, who until very recently was somewhat cruel to him.

"To make this go a bit faster I am going to run the scan on you Mr. Potter, and Dezzi is going to run a scan on Mr. Dursley." The two woman smiled and moved to the foot of each bed though both boys were still watching Clara. "This scan is going to take a bit of time, and is a lot more informative than the ones taught to the aurors, magical police," she added for Dudley so he could understand things as well. "Now I understand that Mr. Potter had a scan done, and I have looked it over. However that is a tip of the iceberg scan compared to what we are about to do now. This scan will tell us the time and date of each illness, injury, or medical issue that could possibly arise, as well as if you have been fed any potions or had any spells cast on you, and by whom.

"So where as the last scan you had done took a bit of time, this one will take quite a bit more. However while this scan runs, we can begin treating your current injuries as it will get to those last. Once each of your scans are done, we can figure out how to best treat the both of you to get rid of any ailments you do have."

Both witches nodded to one another and then began the slow chant, that was rather relaxing to hear, then came a warm tingling feeling starting in his toes and slowly creeping up his body, very slowly. With the chanting done within a minute, both women came forwards and began to work on the most current of injuries spreading the balm over bruises and welts, making them tingle and the pain fade before vanishing with the mark completely.

"Clara, Dudley's scan is complete," the younger woman said as Harry's own scan was still going.

"That was it?" his cousin asked confusedly. "No drawing blood, or blood pressure things, thermometers or wooden sticks in the mouth or lights in the eyes?"

"Not at all," Clara said to him. The two women looked over the short scroll together before summoning over a couple of chairs. "This right here concerns me greatly, but not as much as that one," Clara said to the nodding woman.

"I know, I mean I am qualified to handle his physical wellbeing, but those two things I am not sure I want to try and handle, and especially not alone."

"What's wrong with me?" Dudley stammered out nervously.

"Relax Dudley," the younger woman said. "It is nothing serious. I know when doctors and nurses talk it might sound bad, but everything is treatable and fixable." She moved her chair closer to the side of the bed so she could take hold of his hand and hold it gently in her own. "You have had a spell cast on you to make you dislike someone very strongly, however the spell was ended when a general finite charm was cast on you canceling out a tail that had been placed on you." He squirmed at the thought of it and then looked stunned for a moment.

"So the reason he has been a bully to me all this time was because someone made him?" Now harry was getting upset, as was Dudley.

"Yes, but now you both know this. I do not think Hagrid knew of the other spell on your cousin, so the removal was accidental, and very fortunate. "Clara stood as she looked over the results, "When the finite was used, it took care of the tail, the charm, and placed a crack in the binding on your magical core."

Both boys sat there looking shocked. If Dudley was magical there was no way his parents would want him back, even if they didn't get a prison sentence. That would mean Aunt Marge for Dudley, but she was just as vicious as her brother, so there was no way Harry could let his cousin live with her either.

This was another huge change from his last lifetime, Dudley a wizard? It was possible, his mother came from non-magical parents and her sister could also carry the ability to have a magical son. Yet it still made no sense whatsoever, and then all thoughts stopped as he was covered in a mass of bushy brown hair and a scared Hermione.

"Oh Harry!" she cried as she hugged him as much as she could with him still laying down, though she pulled back suddenly at the tittering from the women in the room.

"Hi Hermione," he said a bit pink in the face. "Um, this is my cousin, Dudley, and um," he glanced at his cousin who was watching him and the others entering the room. "Dudley seems to be a wizard." That caused his friend to stop and blink a few times, but Bones strode forwards and began to whisper with the aging doctor.

"Harry who are all these people?" his cousin asked obviously beginning to try to regain his footing in the world.

"Dudley, this is Hermione Granger. She collided with me at the bank, and is the first friend I made. Like you and my mum, she is a muggle-born, meaning non-magical parents." His cousin was following slowly, so he kept going, "those are her parents Dan and Emma Granger, they are dentists. The lady with the monocle talking to Clara is Director Amelia Bones of the Department of Magical law Enforcement, or DMLE for short."

"Hello Dudley," Dan said as he came forwards looking at the two very different boys. It was very obvious they over-indulged their own child while massively neglecting Harry as a form of mental and emotional as well as physical abuse. His wife was already joining in on the cluster of women whispering about what was on the parchment. "So they fix the two of you up with all that magic yet?"

"Not yet Sir," harry replied. "I'm still being scanned by the spell, though it is up to my chest now. The scan on Dudley went much faster. All recent injuries are healed though," he said trying to add a positive spin on things.

"Well just so you both know, Madame bones filled us in on the fact that both of you were taken away today. She also told us that she is filing things in both magical and non-magical courts about things. Seems your last guardian is out of the country right now Harry, doing things for the International Confederation of Wizards. They don't expect him back until the end of the month to double check that the school is ready, though his Deputy is probably going ahead and doing all the work for him." He scratched his head and looked at the two boys, then smiled, "we have plenty of rooms at our home, so you will both be coming with us once they clear you. We got one room set up last night, but it will only take us a few minutes to get another one set up as well."

"You live in a big house then?" Harry asked wondering now about where he would be living.

"Yes, a pretty big one. I was one of five kids, and so when we have family over, well it is nice to be able to put some of them up with us rather than a hotel all the time. We still have three guest rooms open, on the ground floor, while all of us will be on the second. Emma and I have our own private bath, but the full bath is open for everyone, there is also a half bath on the main floor and one in the basement attached to the game room. I have darts, a snooker table, and a few other things down there, along with a very good sound system for music. So consider having fun one part of your recovery," he smirked. "As you boys get older, so long as you end up staying with us, and you prove to be responsible I might just be willing to take you to the range with me so you can learn how to shoot a gun."

"Daddy has promised to teach me to shoot as well," Hermione said as she finally decided to sit on Harry's bedside.

"Dan, kids," Emma said getting their attention. "The ladies and I have come to an agreement on a number of things concerning Dudley." Everyone turned their eyes to the boy at hand and he swallowed nervously.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Life is not being kind right now. My car is in the shop for a cracked and melted head gasket, though the loner we got is a 2018, and rather awesome with heated seats... I am actually sad that I will have to return this car. I'm also about to get less hours at work, as there wont be too much for me to do, but I am also trying to get some more cleaning done at work and home... At any rate i hope to get some more writing in tomorrow and post up another chapter. Even as NaNoWriMo ends at the end of the month i intend to just keep posting up this 1st draft, hopefully on a weekly basis, more when my muse gets fired up, until the story itself comes to some kind of conclusion.

Thank you all for reading, and hope you enjoy it!

 **Chapter 9**

"Now, Dudley, while this might be a bit scary to think about, I want you to consider some things," Emma said as she took up the chair by his bedside to be more on his level. "If you want they can unbind your magic, or they can rebind it, if that is what you want. Either way the choice is yours, but here are the options that come with those. If you have your magic rebound, Dan and I will take you in and foster you as our own son, and we will find a good school for you that you like. If you have your magic unbound, then you will be going with Harry and Hermione off to Hogwarts for school.

"This is a big change for you. Now there are other things that no matter what you choose on the magic, you will be doing for your own health. As you may have had some tell you, your weight is far too much for a child of your height. These ladies have told me that they have some potions that can help with that, but it would be best if you were to get some more physical activity. As a woman who has gone to medical school I can tell you right now Dudley, your weight is going to cause you some hardships later on, if we do not fix it now."

Everyone was waiting to hear what Dudley would want, so the only sound was the still scratching of the quill marking on Harry's now rather obscene length of previous medical occurrences. Though the moment it stopped, Dudley looked up at everyone in the room.

"My choice?" he asked and received nods all around. "I think I want my magic unbound. I want to be able to see those things I saw in the books, and maybe even play a sport on a broom. I know there will be boring school and homework, but at least it is about something really neat, and not some of the classes I got bored in all the time."

"Very well then Dudley," Dezzi said with a smile. "I will gather the things for what will be needed when we unbind your core."

"Dudley," Madame Bones said taking the place at the foot of his bed. "I will be your magical guardian just the way that the Grangers are your non-magical ones. If anything happens to you while you are the magical side I will be notified and then it is my job to tell your guardians. It is also my job to keep you safe, and reprimand you when you do wrong. However I do understand that every young child needs to have some fun and mischief, just don't go too far. If you wouldn't want it done to you, then it is safe to say you should not do it. I have read your records and know you were a bit of a bully, but that was likely due to your parents' way of raising you, and the spell that was cast upon you when you were so young."

"When was it put on me?" he asked curious now as to when, and why.

"It seems it was cast upon you when you were two years of age, around the time of your birthday. This meant the 'terrible twos' for you were rather terrifying for others who seemed to get in your way. Don't worry though, as that is all in the past, and as you grew the spell did weaken somewhat," Bones said in a fact giving manner. "I am going to be looking into if your close friends who also bullied your cousin had the same spell cast upon them as well. If there is a pattern here it will tell us much more about the person who cast it, and help us bring them to justice."

Emma smiled and pat his hand reassuringly, happy that the boy was now safe, and could get the help he would probably need. She knew she would be there for all three kids in whatever way they needed her.

"Director Bones," Clara said as she waved the woman over to look at the findings on Harry's parchment. "It seems we have a few more issues you might want to take a deep look into."

Amelia affixed her monocle in place and then began reading where the medi-witch pointed, and by the fourth one she looked furious, and the glass fell back to her breast swinging like an angry pendulum.

"Thank you Clara," she said curtly. "Excuse me everyone, I must go have a small chat with someone in custody about a few things." Not waiting for a response she headed for the door, "also I shall be sending some curse breakers here so they can help you with that first issue."

"What is it?" Emma asked as she stood up and began towards the woman with the parchment.

"It seems that Harry has an issue that is keeping that scar from actually healing, and it is something very dark. The curse breakers will more than likely have dealt with things very similar to this, so rest at ease there. Otherwise it looks like there are bones that have healed wrong or poorly, his eyesight is abysmal without glasses, the malnutrition, and regular dosing with potions. However instead of being helpful, these ones are for conditioning a person to be a certain way. I have dates, times, the person who gave the potion, as well as who brewed it."

Clara looked up to the scrawny black haired boy, "you also have a binding on your magic, but unlike your cousin yours is by something having to do with that scar, as well as another person doing so. There are also monitoring charms that are done with blood, hair and bone. I have the list of the people who have done, and the good news is there are only four. It is up to the Director to find out who may have been doing these things unknowingly, and who has been doing so and what their reasons are."

"These things are all fixable?" Dan asked, entering this for the first time.

"Oh heavens yes. Most of them are quite simple. The scar issue is another matter entirely, and not within my capabilities, or dare I say, anyone here at this medical facility. The bones will be fairly easy, the only issue is due to the number and where they are located."

"What do you mean?" he asked curious as to how healing a bone could be so easy when in the non-magical world it took quite some time after you had to re-break it and re-set it.

"Oh quite easily really, using a very specific spell we remove the bone, or vanish it really. No pain what so ever." She smiled happily about that one fact. "Then it is common to give a minor pain relieving potion before the one to re-grow bones, and finally a potion to let them sleep through it all.

"You can grow bones?" he blinked a few times in astonishment.

"Yes, because no matter how careful some people are, there are those bulls in a china shop out there. They overpower a spell, fall off a broom, get kicked by a horse, Pegasus, Unicorn, or sometimes even a centaur. Many reasons why a bone might need to be vanished, in fact we find that if the spine is having issues and making limbs cease to work, sometimes we can just re-grow a certain section and the person will be right as rain the next day."

"So, it won't hurt, and it wont take long?" Harry asked, hoping he could get out of there soon. For some reason he did not really feel very comfortable in the medical bed.

"You can probably go home today, depending on what the curse breakers say. I would just have to make a house call to you this evening after you get ready for bed. Then I would let you get comfortable and cast the spells needed and then give you the potions. The next morning I would come around nine or ten, which would be about when you would wake from the potions, and check to make certain that the bones were as they should be."

"Wow!" Harry and Dan said in unison.

"Then we have the final issue, the one that will take the longest, and that is your collection of scars. Nasty reminders of things and you do not need those. Now, had they been fresh injuries, we could heal them right away and you would never see a scar form. Since these scars you have are rather old," she sighed sadly. "It will take time, but we have a cream to remove scars. Because of medicine the way it is here, and because some choose to keep the scars, it is not something we have on hand. I can have you a tin in a few days. It has to be rubbed into the scars everyday, once in the morning and once before bed."

"I think we can handle getting the kids into a routine of that," Dan said with a nod.

"My only worry," Clara said looking at the father "is that when they are sorted into the four houses, none of them might be together. Now this is only a minor problem, as they have a very wonderful school nurse, and she can always be asked to help, or if you like you can meet up in her wing. I will have to send her a copy of your medical records, but do not worry. Poppy is not the kind of woman to sit and read them, she only looks into a file if there is a need to."

"Could you do a scan like you did on then for me as well," Hermione asked. "I don't think that there is anything wrong with me, but, it would be good to know just in case if anything does happen."

"If your parents are alright with it," she glanced to the two nodding adults. "Very well then, since there shouldn't be anything wrong, just have a seat and sit very still. Once it begins you will feel a warm tingle pass through your whole body slowly, from feet up."

Taking a seat Hermione waited with a bit of excitement on her face. This was not something she had done last time through, and it seemed like it might be important, and if not, well, it would be interesting at least. Indeed she felt the tingling of the spell, and sat very still as it began to find all of the bumps and scrapes she had as a child.

While she was being scanned a heavy knock sounded on the door, and Clara went over to see whom it could be. Opening it wider she allowed in three rather angry looking goblins to which Dudley got bug-eyed looking at, and a man with red hair, obviously the Weasley that worked with them.

"Hello, I am Bill Weasley, this is Hagknot, Fangrot, and Scytheclaw. We were directed here by the bank director, and the head of the DMLE. What seems to be the cursed item or person?" he asked as professionally as he could.

"Ah, well," the younger of the medical witches stammered blushing at the young man.

"Ahem," the elder said as she walked towards the group with the two medical parchments. "It seems we have a few issues going on here, and as medical personnel we must see them righted as quickly as possible." She crouched down a bit to show the parchments to the much shorter than her goblins. "This young man, Dudley, has a bound core. This young man, harry, well he seems to have had a lot of outside interference, by one source, though a few helping hands here and there." She gave a stern gaze tot eh human of the curse breakers, "Mr. Weasley is your allegiance in this matter for the bank, or your family? I fear I must know before I show Harry's parchment to the group."

"While I do hold some allegiance to my family, I am not here because of them. The bank holds trust in me as a young curse breaker, and I am will not do anything to jeopardize that." Bill was looking a tad upset that he was being questioned, and a little worried by it.

"Very good, then you may also see Mr. Potter's results," she said and handed that to the group. "I do not wish to set you against anyone in your family, or those they have allied themselves with."

"Yes, I understand why now," he replied with a tightened angry look on his face. "However it is not for me to interfere and I suppose all of these things are going to be looked into. As it is now a case I know better than to speak with my family about this."

"You are taking care of the unbindings here?" one of the goblins said eyeing the two women.

"I am qualified for that, unless you are seeing a complication in there that I am not? I know for Harry it might be a bit different with that," she tapped something on the page.

"Due to that it might be better if we were to remove that first," another of the goblins stated. "With the removal there might be a backlash that takes out the other binding."

"That's an awfully small signature for one of those," Bill said looking at the parchment. "Hagknot, is that even stable enough to remove?"

"Hm," the mentioned goblin said as he wandered over to Harry and squinted up at the famous scar. "It looks stable enough, though it might make it fracture more as we try to remove it."

"Harry could you please lay flat so that he can look over the scar better?" Bill asked him as he followed the senior of the group.

"What's wrong with my scar?" Harry asked as he lay back down upon the bed.

"Well young man," the goblin said as his gnarled and clawed hands began to poke at the scar and surrounding tissues. "It seems you are the recipient of some very dark magic. Your famous scar seems to have not healed because of this splinter residing behind it."

"Can you remove it?" Emma asked worried for the young man she was going to be fostering, and whom had become fast friends with her daughter.

"Yes, we can remove it. In fact due to what it is," he looked to the worried mother, "we are duty bound to do so. That anyone could look at this scar and think it normal, would be a senile old coot."

"Would you care to do this here, or back at the bank?" Clara asked now feeling a bit more worried herself.

"The fragment behind it is small, and sadly has had almost ten years to take root. Removal will be painful, but best we just get it done instead of wait and get him into the bank for this." Hagknot looked at harry with a serious expression, "no one will look down on you for screaming Mr. Potter. This will be quite painful, especially as it is on your face, and the fact that you are alive. What has been done to you is highly frowned upon for many reasons. Strictly speaking we have run into this quite a number of times, but they are always placed on non-living things, and usually magical artifacts that people are loathe to destroy. Complete destruction of the item is one way to rid ourselves of what has been done to you, the other, which your paling group will be happy to know, is the transference of the splinter to another item.

"This will take some time to set up the removal. First we shall need everyone to leave this room, except for the afflicted. This is to keep what is behind the scar from transferring to someone else or an item not of our choosing."

"Excuse me, Hagknot," Hermione said getting off of the chair and walking towards him as her own scan was now complete. "What is it behind Harry's scar?"

"Hm," he squinted his eyes as if judging her very existence. "One word for it could be phylactery, another a canopic jar, but those are words for other areas, and the means of creation are vastly different from this, which is called a horcrux."

"You're saying Harry's scar is a soul container?" Hermione was stunned, and pale, and now knowing she was going to have to search through all of her last lifetime to find when they had found that information out, and how they had dealt with it.

"Very sharp young lady," he nodded in approval. "Keep a good sharp mind and you may find yourself with a job with us. Bill is going to be heading off to assignment in Egypt by the end of the month, with the others of this group. There are some places there that need to be checked out, and cleared of the real dangers before we let muggles into them. Last thing this world needs is an ancient pharaoh taking over the mind and body of someone today and using their skills and abilities granted from their gods to reclaim their dynasty."

"That can happen?" Dan asked rather stunned by the idea.

"Yes, it can. In fact it did happen quite some time ago, thankfully we were alerted quickly enough and stopped it before it got unmanageable." He turned to the group of cursebreakers, "I want the top protections on this room, and silencing spells layered in. We don't need to alert all of the hospital and all of London that something major is happening."


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Working on this and with what the skeleton of the story would be... but it is changing a bit from how I thought it might go... With Thanksgiving this week, I will likely have more time to write. College students are away, and so business is a bit slower. So here's hoping I get time to write a bunch this week and post as i go :)

 **Chapter 10**

He listened as everyone else was led from the room, Hermione of course wanted to stay with him, but her parents and the goblins finally won out. It was kind of funny, here he was about to have a bit of someone else's soul removed from his scar, and the last time through he was already in the smaller bedroom and his relatives ignoring him. The differences were starting to become mind boggling. Was it possible that there was a life he had where they had been kind to him? Had there been a life where his parents had survived and they had taken Dudley in?

So many differences between this life and the last one, and yet they were still on parallel tracks so to speak. His own train of thought was halted when the bed sagged as a person sat on it with him.

"So, Harry Potter," Bill said with a grin. "Never thought I would get to meet you before my other siblings still in school, and yet I win out, not that I can tell them. We have a very strict confidentiality clause, so you need not worry about me telling anyone that we have met, let alone that this happened."

"So, um, its going to hurt?" Harry was nervous to be sure, and the red head made him a bit wary since his last life was not the best with his family, so said his reaper.

"Think of it like this; when this shard got placed there it was nothing more than a seed and you fertile soil. Now over time, like anything that grows it sprouted and has taken hold of your magic in order to anchor itself there. This is why a soul holder must have some sort of inherent magic, and if it replenishes its own, all the better for it. Your magic is like the fertilizer that is keeping the thing well fed," Bill was trying to be comforting with this as well, but it seemed he was rather intrigued by it as well.

"But my magic has been bound."

"Not completely, because the person who bound you wanted you to not be a squib or muggle, the person wants you to have enough to show up to school. In fact he bound you so that you would be a rather average student, not really powerful, but not pathetic either." He patted the green eyed boy on the shoulder, "but after this shard is removed and you are unbound, you might find yourself rather ahead of the class in growth and power. From what I can tell, you were bound in order to stay an average kind of wizard, but since this thing has been feeding off of you, and your magic has been fighting both the binding and the soul shard, you might appear to be an average wizard with the binding, but once it is removed you might burst through it."

"Why didn't we take the binding off first then?"

"If we did that, then this shard would be less plant like in analogy and more squid like, as it would reach out and try to take all of your magic over at once."

"Well crap," Harry said to Bill's laughter and amusement.

"Yes, well crap indeed. Before we begin all the pain and torment on the removal, I do need to go over a few things with you." At a nod from the boy Bill continued, "in order to keep you safe you will need to be bound to the bed. The restraints are not magical as any magic we try to hold you down with could feed the shard and keep it in you. It may seem frightening to be strapped down, but from what I have studied this is kind of like an exorcism that muggles did long ago. Not saying that the shard is going to be able to take you over and make you hover in the air, but this will keep you safe, and us."

"I," he swallowed thickly, "I understand, and I think I can handle it. I won't be strapped down for long, will I?"

"No," he said with a squeeze to the shoulder in reassurance. "As soon as this is over, the bindings come off and are put out of sight. Hagknot will then have a look to make sure we got all of it, and once he is satisfied we can let everyone back in. Now he told me to inform you of some side effects of having another soul in you."

"Side effects!?"

"Calm down Harry, I know it sounds terrifying, but remember, you have only a tiny bit of someone in you. You are not looking at turning into the next dark Lord due to this. In fact this is more like a mustard seed in a liter of water." He sighed and looked at the famous boy in all seriousness, "while that seed will have an effect on the water it has sat in for so long, there is no way it has enough power to take over and turn it all into mustard. What this means is, you may have flashes of memories that are not yours, or seeing a certain person may make you feel a certain way, like you have known then but you have never met. So this means you might be able to pick out who some Deatheaters were from the last war, and they may seem familiar to you. We are telling this to you so you can remain safe. A lot of them escaped a prison sentence by claiming they were under a spell, but it is more likely they bribed their way out of it all.

"You have a right to know this Harry, as it is likely some of them might be upset with you for destroying their leader. Not to worry though, because Hogwarts is the safest place in Britain, and no one is going to want to try anything while you are there."

"Thanks Bill," Harry smiled, knowing that the other boy was trying to help him feel better, even if this horcrux brought up a whole new list of issues in his own mind.

"It is time to get him ready," Hagknot said from nearby.

"All set to get this over with Harry?"

"As ready as I will ever be, just promise me you will get this weed out of me along with all the roots in one go?" he asked looking both at the goblin and the red haired man.

"We shall do our best Mr. Potter to remove all of it in one try, and for this we will be moving slow. As such you will be in quite some pain," the goblin looked at him seriously as Bill brought out the leather straps and began fastening them onto the bed frame. "Once this is done, you shall feel much better, that is of course after you sleep and heal from the experience. I must ask you, might I be able to take the shard of soul to study? Or would you prefer it be destroyed now?"

"Wouldn't studying it be dangerous?"

"Not really, not for a goblin," he said as he watched the human of the group begin strapping down the youngest in the room. "Our magic works differently than yours, while having a wand would be nice, and make things far more efficient at the bank, too many fear what a warrior race like we could do with that kind of power. I intend to take this and see just how big of the whole it is, that could give us an idea if this person, or what was left of it, made any more of these things."

"That's possible," Bill said stunned and a bit green at the thought.

"Yes, but highly unadvised. Keep to your task Mr. Weasley, we must get this done for the young man." The goblin gave a fierce smile to Harry, "rest assured Mr. Potter, if he did make more you will be the first to know after the director. It is likely that you may have visions of what to seek out, and where they may have been hidden. If that is the case, you shall have my immediate assistance in retrieving the items and clearing them of the soul shards."

"Thanks Hagknot, and since we might be working together again, please call me Harry," he smiled back to the goblin. "I did the inheritance test when I was there, and since it seems I have been cursed like this, well, there might be other curses I need to watch out for. So, I don't know what it might cost for your time, but I would like my vault, and family vaults and all of that checked for curses. It wouldn't do for me to have this taken care of to just drop dead from something left for me."

"I shall speak with the director after I store this in a safe location then. While I am fairly certain that the Potter holdings contain nothing cursed, it is wise to have another look. Being cautious is something you might need as you live, we goblins do not make many friends, but those we do we trust for life, until proven otherwise, and by then we are usually dead." The goblin nodded at him, "I shall indeed call you Harry, as you are showing great trust in me and my team. Perhaps we can be friends, but after this pain you are about to have inflicted, you might prefer to curse my name instead," he said with a feral grin.

"All set," Bill said stopping Harry from perhaps saying something foolish.

"Very good, now take up your place and prepare," he said taking a large round quartz sphere from his bag, along with a brass ring to rest it on and placed them on the small table beside his bed, moving the whole thing as close to equal with the cursed scar as he could. "Brace yourself Harry, you are about to feel pain like all of your injuries and beatings happening at once. None here will think less of you for crying out, but we of the blood will see this as your birth into manhood, and becoming a warrior yourself. It takes a strength many do not have to live as you have, so this is the death to your old life, and the birth of your new one," he said quietly while the others all got into place for the ritual.

"Thank you Hagknot," Harry said with a nod of gratitude to the old goblin, who then walked away to his own place of power.

The goblin had not been lying when he had said the pain he was about to go through. While he had tried not to scream, or cry out in anyway to start with, he did lose that battle. It did indeed feel like something had taken root within him as the foreign being felt like it was on fire and burning him from wherever its roots had settled in. Once they had started their chant, there was nothing but the fire and pain and the agonizingly slow pulling feel of each root trying to stay where it was, or grasping at something new to try to stay put in the current host.

Eternity in the pits of hell had to be where he was, as it seemed never ending. Writhing in pain, even behind his mental barriers he wasn't safe, though he did wonder at one point in a moment of lucid thought, just how much time did pass, or if he had just died yet again.

Meanwhile

"Hermione, please stop pacing, I'm sure Harry will be fine," her mother said trying to get her daughter to stop wearing a hole into the floor with her pacing.

"Mother it has been more than an hour! What if something went wrong?" her daughter wept with worry.

"Miss Granger," Clara began as she brought Dudley back in from another room. "I suggest you do try and sit. All you are doing is wearing yourself to exhaustion with worry. I can tell you that the curse breakers will do all they can to help the young man."

"But it has been so long," she started getting another head of steam on her anxiousness.

"And it could be quite some time longer as well. Had he been brought to us right after the incident it would have only taken about an hour, if that, and not been so painful for him. However since it has had time to take hold and settle in, it will take longer to remove. I know you are worried for him, but you must understand the goblins will move very carefully here to make sure they get everything the first time," slowly she ushered the young girl into a seat. "Being that it has had almost a decade to fester, they have their work cut out for them. I am certain Harry will be alright in their care."

"Do you have any idea how long?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Granger, but there is no way for me to find out without disturbing them, and there is no way I would risk that." The medi-witch sighed and looked over the Grangers and the now magically unbound Dudley. "It might be best that the group of you head home to rest, and get this young man settled in. I'm sure Amelia will be stopping by before too long, and I can send her to either get the group of you, or to bring the young man to you."

"I'd prefer we be here when he wakes up, but, getting some food, and sitting at home might be best," Emma said looking at her daughter who really did not want to leave. "Harry will be fine and safe here sweetie, we can come back after dinner to wait if we haven't heard anything by then."

"Okay," Hermione sighed knowing that being a young girl all over again was going to have draw backs like being unable to put her foot down about certain things. There was no way that her parents would ever leave here alone in a fairly new and unknown place, unless it was a library or a school.

Once they were driving along Dudley too his chance to speak with his foster sister.

"Does magic always feel like this?" he asked.

"Like what?"

"Like tingling all over, gooseflesh that keeps coming and going," he said showing her his arm where indeed the hairs rose up and then lay back down only to repeat it in another minute or two.

"I guess that is happening since your body is now becoming accustomed to you having your magic. Since Harry and I grew with it, neither of us gets that feeling. With luck it will go away in time. What did the medi-witch say to you about it?"

"Well she was really nice about it all, and it felt odd. When she raised her stick."

"Wand."

"Right, wand. Well when she raised it up and started saying those odd words, it felt like I couldn't breathe. Like there was a number of belts all cross my chest and they were so tight, but then as she kept going it was like they slowly loosened and then fell away. Made me feel all light and floaty, like I was gonna blow away in the wind." He was a bit more bright eyed as he spoke to her, and he was obviously interested in her opinion.

"And then when it was done, she gave me this bubbly purple stuff that didn't taste too bad, but then it felt like I was slammed back into me. It was all really strange, and she said I would feel a bit off for a bit. Said something about reacquainting me with my magic, and something about having accidents," he said with an embarrassed blush, "but I haven't had an accident in years!"

"Not that kind of accident Dudley," Hermione said with a giggle. "She meant accidental magic. When I was younger mum took away my favorite stuffy since I was being naughty, and she placed it far from my reach in the crib. I got so angry and I wanted it so badly, my magic pulled it to me. Mum was stunned and didn't know how I could have managed it. I'm sure Harry had some accidents with his magic too?"

"Yeah, he turned a teacher's wig blue," Dudley said with a grin and then it quickly faded. "Dad gave him a beating for it, locked him in the cupboard for a few days. I was surprised when he came out and was still sore but alive, especially since I dunno if they gave him any food."

"Well you don't need to worry about anything," Dan said from the passenger seat, "we are rather used to magical accidents now. Nothing to be ashamed of, and might help you have some great stories to pass onto your own kids someday. We have been writing down the things that happened so far, so that someday we can embarrass our daughter with them. It's what parents do," he grinned back at the boy. "I'll have to get a book out and start writing yours down as well. Once you graduate school, the books will become yours. We will keep track of accomplishments and the like in them, and photos and such so you can look back on happy memories."

"Thank you sir, that sounds nice," Dudley said still uncertain about this whole living with a new family thing.

A cool damp cloth moving across his forehead finally brought Harry back into the world of the conscious. Hagknot was sitting on a chair next to him and wiping the cool fabric over his scar.

"Good news Mr. Potter, we got it all out," the goblin said satisfied.

"Thanks Hagknot," harry croaked out from his sore throat. "Call me Harry, please."

"Very well Harry," the goblin grinned. "You have been under out care for about six hours now. The soul shard is removed and sealed until it is time to destroy it. Try not to talk much, we had to force a potion into you to help heal your vocal chords. Your screams were loud and terrible, and I think you may have ruptured a few chords.

"You were quiet when w first started, but then you let loose the most horrific wail, it was nearly terrifying as that of a banshee. While in the throes of pain and anguish your magic instinctively fought against the intruder helping us to remove it from you. This is when your creams of pain became screams of a warrior in single-minded combat. It was glorious to hear Harry, you have truly got a warrior's heart and soul within you. For proving that a wizard knows what a real battle is I odder you my friendship and my services to check all of your account holdings personally.

"While the others may call you Harry, to goblins I shall call you Shattercry, as your scar was lightning that shatters a darkened sky, but your cry was far more fierce and terrifying than mere thunder that causes rats to scurry. Your cry of battle would shatter an enemies' resolve to fight," the goblin said with a gleam in his eye. "I feel honored that I and my team were able to hear such a fierce battle cry."

"Congrats Shattercry," Bill said pale faced but grinning. "I've heard goblin war cries before, but the sound that came from you," he shook his head in disbelief. "You earned your name in combat, and next time you head to the bank, they will treat you better than anyone else be it witch or wizard."

"Now that you are awake, and know that it is done as we said, we will leave you to the medi-witch. I shall speak with the director about your accounts, and see about double checking that nothing cursed has ended up in there, and that everything is accounted for," Hagknot said as he climbed down from the chair and picked up his bag. "Until we meet again Shattercry."

The other goblins gave nods of acknowledgement and Bill chuckled and shook his head.

"I've been around them long enough to know you really impressed them. Trusting a goblin is a tricky thing, but those ones will have your back. Well, rest up, and have fun at school! Watch out for the twins though, or they might prank you." With that he mussed up the hero's hair and exited with the group allowing Clara and her assistant to come back in.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: So... yeah for some reason I thought I was going to have a ton of free time to write over the holiday... HA HA HA HA HA... I did manage some short word sprints, and then they were lost... not sure if the computer just ate the file, or what happened, but my 5k i had was just... *poof*... gone...so i sadly had to start this run all over again. So sorry for the time between updates.

I will have at least one more update this week, after all i need to get those final words written to get to my monthly goal of 50k... i will be continuing this story, and doing my best to write and update at least once a week, at least until my hubby goes in for surgery on his ankle again. Then I am a nurse and might not have too much time to write, but I will keep you all updated in these notes as it goes along.

 **Chapter 11**

The two ladies came in and immediately began a new scan on him to compare to the previous one. Frankly he was glad that they were too busy looking over what was being written and comparing it to the old one. Somewhere in his mind he noticed that the spell they used this time was not the exact one they had done before, but they knew what they were doing, he hoped.

Instead he used this time to look through his quest log, there were bound to be some he had unknowingly been forced to take, and man that would be completed. Best to just go through and figure things out while he was going to be forced to wait anyway, and so **Quest menu** it was.

 **Quests:**

 **Completed Quests:**

 **Remove Soul Shard From Scar**

 **Receive New Title/Nickname**

 **Get All Supplies For School**

 **Get Away From Abusive Relatives**

 **Rescue Cousin**

 **Unlock One Of Cousin's Potentials**

 **Meet Soul Mate 1**

 **Ongoing Quests:**

 **Help Cousin get School Supplies**

 **Help Cousin Acclimate To New Life**

 **Get Completely Healed From Past Injuries/Scars**

 **Meet Soul Mate 2**

 **Meet Soul Mate 3**

 **Meet Soul Mate 4**

 **Choose Personal Support Character**

 **Unlock Magical Core**

 **Read Hogwarts: A History Cover to Cover**

 **Board Hogwarts Express On Time**

 **Complete Soul Bond 1**

 **Complete Soul Bond 2**

 **Complete Soul bond 3**

 **Complete Soul bond 4**

 **Find Out The Results Of Inheritance Test From Goblins**

His eyes skimmed over the lists and then shot back to the fact that he had not one but four soul mates? Hermione was going to kill him, however if he talked to her now about everything maybe they could think of a way around it? Or if he had to have four soul mates, then perhaps talking about it now would help the both of them figure out just what they were going to do about everything.

Then there was the bit about completing the soul bonds, and he couldn't help the groan that left him.

"Are you alright Mr. Potter?" Amelia said from the doorway. I can call the medi-witches back in if you need something.

"Just sore," he croaked out. It wasn't a lie, but physically he had felt much worse than this in the past.

"Well that is to be expected. I saw the goblins leave, and since your newest scan is done, they have allowed me to see you," she said as she claimed the chair by his bed. "There are a few things you and I need to talk about before I take you to the Grangers. Do you feel up to it?"

"Yes," he replied and took the glass of water to sip at from his bedside.

"Very well," she said with a bit of a grin. "You should know that I have to Apparate the two of us to their home. That is that very unpleasant feeling you went through last time. There are only two other modes of transportation that are really legal here, flying brooms and floo travel.

"Since you will be living in a muggle neighborhood the brooms are right out. So I shall be personally installing a floo connection in their home, but this connection is going to be quite limited. I have already gotten the clearance to set this up. The Granger home will link up with my home, the Ossuary.

"This will keep people from being able to find out where you live, or 'accidentally' turn up. So this will keep you safe, and help me out as the three of you are my magical wards. If something does come up I would prefer you three come to me about anything that happens. In fact your cousin is bound to have a few bouts of accidental magic, and while the rest of you are somewhat used to it, due to how you were treated when you had bouts, he may expect the same thing.

"I'm not saying that it is really logical, but it has been taught." She tilted her head side to side cracking her neck, as it must have been a rather long day for her. "Now, as your cousin will need to get his school supplies, I have a day off in two days. At that time I shall teach the group of you how to use the Floo for travel. I will bring you to my home for a brief moment, and then we will head to the Alley. This will save not only time, but the wear on the granger's vehicle. Any questions so far?"

"No Ma'am."

"Well then, we shall move on. As my ward I will expect certain things from the three of you. I have already had this talk with the others; however your talk gets to be a bit different."

"Why is that?"

"Because in the Wizarding world you are quite famous, I'm sure you have noticed that?" He nodded glumly recalling the people who wanted to touch him or shake his hand. "Well right off the bat you are going to have those that idolize you, and those that hate you for the death of their dark lord. There will also be those who think you to be a stuck up brat because you have never responded to their letters."

"Letters!? I only every received my letter from Hogwarts," he said panicked. He had brought that up to the goblins about not receiving mail.

"I know, and it is being looked into by the goblins. As much as I want to look into it myself with my office, if we did your previous magical guardian would find out in an instant. Right now, with where you case stands, I have enough to make certain you do not ever go back under his guardianship, and I have charges on child endangerment and abandonment.

"The problem is that the man wears some very large hats, so to speak. He holds three very full time positions, and frankly he tries his best in all three, but things slip past him. Things that could be harmful to many people down the line in the form of laws and regulations.

"So what I am intending to do is cut the man a deal, as I do not think he is truly evil, just a bit over burdened. I want him to give up two of his positions, that way he can focus and do his best with one of them. How does that sound?" she asked watching him very carefully.

"Well," he thought about it for a moment. Albus did hold those three key positions, and the magical side really wasn't advancing, so perhaps this change would help. "Can we hold off doing anything until the end of the school year?" That would give him enough time to think things over, and to see how things played out this time around, something about how looking at his last try made him feel very manipulated and played by the old man. Mainly why put the stone in the school, how did he not know it was Quirrel, and why give a child an invisibility cloak, or place that mirror and let him go back to it time and again. Some things just did not really work with him.

"Yes, we can," she said with a proud smile. "I am glad to hear you want to take time to think about this. Many people would lash out and just agree to something. It is possible that over the school year we find out more, and we might even figure out motives. Now that can be a real grey area, but after school is done and you have settled back in, then I will come by and we shall talk about this again. How does that sound?"

"I like that idea. I mean I don't really feel comfortable with this person being so powerful and not being able to do the best either, but," he shrugged his shoulders not really knowing what else he could say.

"With that taken care of we then get into the most un-fun part of this talk, your medical care." She eyed him as he groaned with that thought.

"Can't they just wave a wand?" he moaned as he flopped back onto the bed really not wanting to think about the potions and such he would be forced to take.

"Well I have some good news on that fro you. Tonight Clara will vanish the bones that cannot be healed by other means, and you will have to take the vilest of all tasting potions, Skelegrow. The rest of your bones that are injured are not so bad off, and can heal by just normal bodily healing. However your relatives did some damage to your growth, so you will need to take some potions that will help your body to heal from that. We call them nutrient potions, and they help you to build new muscle and to grow, but the side effect is that you are going to eat quite a bit more." She chuckled, "for you though it might be that you eat like a normal boy for a bit.

"Also they have a potion that will help with your eyesight. Normally they would have caught this when you were much younger, but as you are older you will be taking a low dose every other day. This will help your eyes heal and adjust, so you don't get a migraine right away from all of the healing."

"So I wont need glasses anymore?" he was floored by this idea.

"You won't need them, but I would say, if you decide to go play Quidditch you should likely get yourself some flying goggles. Never understood why the school doesn't make the boys wear them, it is better to not need potions to recover from eye injuries, and better still to not get an injury in the first place. As your magical guardian I am telling you right now young man, if you do gout for the teams you WILL be getting flight goggles. I know they are not cool looking, and none of the major teams use them, but I'd rather not hear how your eye froze shut on a frozen autumn day while you were out flying at breakneck speeds. Don't try to tell me you wont, I know all boys and some girls push brooms to their top speeds, and I have a feeling that you will do so as it is in the Potter blood to do crazy things on brooms."

"Really?"

"Oh yes," she chuckled. "Your father needed glasses because of all the damage he did flying at top speeds racing through the forbidden forest. True your grandparents used potions to fix them time and again, but finally he grew immune to them and they just shrugged and told him he was going to have glasses for the rest of his life, unless Lily could come up with something to heal them. Oh and that idea riled her right up, and she swore to never make or even try to make something, just so he wouldn't be able to go barreling through the school hallways on his broom," she said laughing merrily.

"Sounds like my father was crazy good at flying," he said proudly, "if a bit of a daredevil."

"Oh that he was," she smiled at him. "That is why I won't stop you from doing the crazy things, but I will make certain you understand how to keep yourself from the time you could spend in the hospital wing."

"Seems fair," he said grinning with her and nodding. "When we go back to do Dudley's school shopping, I will make sure to pick up a pair of goggles. That way, when I do learn to fly, I can wear them then as well to get into the habit. If anyone asks maybe I will say I think they are cool, and get an old style airman's coat and scarf to go with it."

"You have me at a bit of a loss on that one, but perhaps Mrs. Granger can fill me in on it," she said and stood up slowly. "Now then I'll be right back with Clara and then we can head to your new home."

He lay back and relax thinking how awesome it would be to fly on a broom like in his last life, but this time wearing a leather jacket scarf, flight hat and goggles, and zooming around the pitch doing barrel rolls like he had seen in one of those old war movies Petunia had liked to watch when Vernon was on a trip. Granted she watched them for the romance parts, but still he had caught a few of the scenes, and this time he was going to try them, and maybe try and find some old war flight attack plans, or whatever they were called, maybe they would work for a quidditch attack too.

It wasn't too long before the two women came back in to get him, what worried him was the look Bones had. She seemed concerned about something big.

"Before we go harry I need to tell you something that came up in your scan, after the removal of that soul shard," Clara said looking at him very seriously. "While it was feeding off of your core, and the bindings on it, once it was removed your magic rushed to fill that void."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that at the moment your magic is replenishing itself as quickly as it can, but it is filling the area that the, well I guess you could call them roots, of the shard was. Think of your core like a glass of water, the water is your magic and the glass is what keeps your magic in you and stable. A binding on that would be like placing the whole glass in a metal pot that was the perfect shape for the core to nestle into. The pot might have had a few holes in it to let some of your magic be used normally. Then there was the shard, and from we can tell it left a thin artery style material behind, kind of like a straw, and that is what wrapped itself around your core binding, and somehow managed to eat away at some of it.

"What this means is that you magic may eat away at the rest of the binding, and strengthen the 'straw', or it could expand outwards and dissipate leaving you a mere muggle. To be honest we have never seen this kind of thing before. I have sent a copy of the findings to the goblin Hagknot, perhaps he will know a bit more. For now though, until we are certain what is going to happen, try to let your magic rest. If possible no accidental magic, this is something we will need to monitor very carefully.

"I will be coming over tonight to get you started with the hardest part of the healing. Then I will come see you in the morning to start the other potions with you. Now at that time I will do just a scan of what your core is doing. As long as it looks alright, I will only stop by every few days to check on you and see how it is going, and to check your progress with the rest of your healing."

"Right so no accidents with magic, and just try to relax and not freak out," he said trying to take his own advice right at that moment.

"Harry, take in a slow deep breath, then hold it for a moment, and slowly let it out," Amelia calmly stated. "Right now this is a lot for anyone, let alone a boy of your age, to take in. This will be fine. You will be fine. Focus on those thigns, and then we will make them true. Magic is all intent based, so if you make yourself believe that this is nothing, then your magic will inherently work towards making it nothing to worry about. Trust in it, and know that you will be fine. Your core might be much stronger than it would have been, so that is a big plus," she smiled reassuringly at him. "Clara is going to be monitoring this very closely, so if anything looks like it isn't right, there are some things that can be done. So deep breaths, calming positive thoughts, and yes I know how dumb that sounds."

"Well at least you know it sounds dumb, but does it really work?"

"Yes, it does. Frankly there is no way Senior Auror Alastor 'Mad-eye' Moody could be alive without it/. However instead of positive thoughts, his are all paranoid ones. The man has lightning quick defensive and offensive magic reflexes. Because of the way he is, from what we can tell, when he allows a healer to help him, his magic is the same way he is. Difficult man, and is therefore difficult to treat and deal with. If you can stay calm and focused through this, then you can apply it to when you sit for your exams."

"Now then, I think we should be off. Madame Bones had them set some dinner aside to stay warm for you. That way you can eat while we talk to your new guardians," Clara said feeling better now that she had told him what was going on.

What was a bit more than a hop, skip, and nauseating jump through space and time, they arrived in the entryway of the Granger home. Both women steadied him on his very wobbly legs, at least they tried to until he was hit with a bushy brown mass of hair that had come at him with mach speeds.

"Oh Harry! I'm so glad you're here!" she said crushing the air from his lungs.

"Princess the boy is tapping out," her father said with a sigh.

"Sorry Harry," the girl replied sheepishly as she released her grip and helped him to stand upright. "Um, we have some spaghetti ready for you, and garlic bread. Your cousin had two helpings, and told us that he usually had thirds. Yet he said he was full, and it surprised him."

"Oh," said the medi-witch, "well that is good news!"

"It is?" Dan said as he looked at the woman curiously.

"Well you see Dudley is rather large for a boy his age, and magic tends to burn off quite a few calories. Since his magic is unbound it is beginning to help him lose some of that weight. When magic is bound a child usually tends to become a glutton to 'fill the void' so to say. For him it happened to be food, thought I have seen children that actually collected different things, all the while trying to understand why they didn't feel whole, or complete."

"Interesting," he said with a nod. "Well, Hermione you go ahead and take Harry to his meal, while the adults do boring talking about rules and medicine routines and all of that nasty stuff," he said with a chuckle leading the two women into his office.

"This way Harry!" she said and taking his arm led him almost forcefully to the kitchen so he could eat, and she could interrogate him, er that is to mean, to ask him a few questions.

"Where's Dudley?" he asked quietly as he noticed he wasn't around.

"Mum set him up to take a bath just before you got here. Figures it will help him to unwind from everything," she said just as quietly sitting beside him. "Who would have guessed that your cousin was a wizard?"

"Yeah, that one threw me," he said tearing a chunk of the bread off to nibble on.

"Well I've talked with him a bit, and frankly it really hasn't hit home for him that his parents are not going to want a thing to do with him. I mean, maybe his mother will flip, but from what little I know, I doubt it."

"I have a quest to help him adjust to all of this, and there is something else in my quest list. Something that you might not like, I'm really not sure how I feel about it to be completely honest," he said stabbing at the noodles and twisting them upon his fork.

"I'm sure it can't be that bad. What is it?" she tilted her head to the side as if preparing to do some hard thinking, while he slowly chewed his mouthful and swallowing before talking.

"Promise me you are not going to yell and draw attention to us? Also that you won't hurt me, because it isn't like I chose to accept the quests," he gave her a wary look as she crossed her arms and thought for a moment.

"Is it really that bad?" she asked and when he nodded in reply she sighed. "Well then I promise not to hit you, because I have had quests that just seem to be must do things pop up in the log. As for drawing the adults' attention from the other room, well I will do my best not to, but no promises there, so spill." Quickly she placed both of her hands over her own mouth to help hold back any exclamations that Harry knew there would be.

"Well," he started knowing that this was going to be like ripping off a plaster as fast as he could, "it seems that you are one of four soul mates I have. The quests I have are to meet and complete soul bonds with four girls." Even though she promised not to hit him, or shriek at him, he still winced waiting for it, while watching her reactions.

The first emotion to run through her was shock, then anger, then shock again, then confusion and that was when her hands came away, and Hermione's brain took control once more.

"You just have to a difficult don't you? Do you intend to follow any rules? I mean four? Harry people are lucky if they do find their one, and ONLY soul mate. Yet here you are breaking the rules on that one and having four! While I am glad to be the first one you meet, and hopefully the first one to complete the bond, I have to admit I am worried. I mean I am not the most beautiful, heck I'm just a bossy bushy haired know-it-all," she said with a self depreciating sigh.

"Hermione," he said grabbing her by the shoulders. "Those things are only negative if you let them be." He glanced about quickly, "and need I remind you of all the dumb stuff I did last time around in our first year?"

"Point taken," she replied with a smile creeping onto her face. Thanks for that."

"What are best friends for anyway?" he grinned. "This pasta sauce is really good. I can tell it isn't from a can."

"Grandma's recipe, passed down through the family. If you want to learn it, you will have to marry me," she said with a smirk and wink which caused him to splutter and choke a bit.


	12. Chapter 12

AN:Seems you guys are liking this, and that makes me so happy! THANK YOU EVERYONE!

I am trying to do things a bit different with the soul mate thing. With luck that will come into play a bit more in the next 2 or 3 chapters. With luck I should be getting another chapter up this weekend, but that sadly depends on how much life decides to interfere in my creative time. Until then, ENJOY!

 **Chapter 12**

"Well then," he got a smug grin on his face, "you should probably just hand it over soul mate."

"Cheater," she said and stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're just jealous I got in a good one," he grinned and began to eat with gusto.

He should have noticed the dangerous look in her eye, and the way the corners of her mouth turned up just ever so slightly, but he didn't. Instead Harry oblivious to all the warning signs kept eating and humming happily that he had gotten her with his remark, and the fact that he would be able to get his hands on such a delicious recipe.

Somewhere far far above, watching over them, sometimes, sat two women, one a little concerned and the other grinning like a mad woman.

"So what exactly did you slip in that I did not notice? I thought we agreed on three soul mates?" Fate said looking at the half kender.

"Well, three soul mates and him make four. Frankly, kind of square." The goddess groaned at the poor pun. "So I thought if I added another one it would be better, him in the center and the others surrounding him, a circle, or wheel if you will. The wheel to roll over his enemies and it follows the laws of cycles, birth, death, decay, and begin again."

"How is it that a mischievous imp like you can spout forth wisdom like that?"

"Because my dear friend, I listen and learn, and in order to break the rules, you have to know them," she grinned and skipped to the door.

"Wait, won't you tell me who the soul mates are?"

"That would be telling, and you already know of Hermione and one other," turing she winked at the woman. "just wait until you see the family unit that this bonding will create! I had to dig up so really old rules for it, but frankly this is going to be so much FUN!"

The woman behind the desk watched the monitor again and sighed as the other woman had pranced out of the room.

"Good luck Harry, you might really need it." She paused for a moment and then sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "of all the afterthoughts."

She rose up and head out to her own secretary, a proud Elizabethan dressed woman.

"Beatrice, please place a call to Chance, let her know I really need to have a talk with her. Also let her know that I am headed into her domain to wait for when she is free."

"Certainly m'lady," she said and lifted the ceramic and brass telephone to make the call. The goddess for her part began the long trek with her thoughts the only companion.

As the adults came into the kitchen to see Harry taking the last mouthful of pasta, Hermione rose up and rushed to her parents excitedly.

"Mum, dad, Harry proposed to me!" she squealed excitedly while jumping up and down.

For their part her parents looked a bit stunned, however her goal was achieved as Harry began coughing and spluttering. Having so many great expressions, including from bones and Clara she couldn't stop and leaned back against the counter and began laughing uproariously, with tears flowing down her face.

"Oh! Oh! You should see your face Harry!"

Realizing that they had been had the adults all grinned but her mother looked between the two of them.

"What brought this one Hermione? You usually don't do things like this, except to your cousins after they prank you, or tease you," she had no heat in her words since no one was harmed. Well, her husband would begin to wonder if his little girl was growing up too fast and wonder about sending her off to a school so far away that she might find a boyfriend and grow out of being his little princess.

"We were talking and harry asked for Grandma's recipe for spaghetti sauce. When I told him it could only be passed down to family, he said he still wanted it," she grinned.

"Ah, I see, so the young man walked into a trap," she agreed with a grin. "Harry, you should know that women in my line have a tendency to get what they want, and they are even more tenacious on the Granger side."

"In other words Harry," Dan said coming to the aid of the young boy, "that means if my daughter sets her sights on you being her husband, the only way you can possibly get out of it is to move to another country, or perhaps planet I'm not sure that would really work either, but it might buy you some time."

"Really?" Bones asked looking at the man who felt sorry for the ribbing the young man was getting.

"My grandfather was a serious ladies man, eternal bachelor and all that, but when gram decided she wanted him, she followed him over four continents and countless countries until he gave up and got a clue. Then he proposed, and only then. Now I know you might be wondering why it is the Granger women when she wasn't? Simple, his mother kept telling her where to go to find him, and gave her all the money and support to land him," he sighed. "Sadly this only taught her to chase after things and once you get hold to never let go. Each woman that comes into the family will turn out to be just as tenacious as well, and smarter than the last one."

"Noted," Harry said as he swallowed thickly looking at the woman he could not run from and knew he was soul bonded to, or would be. A shame they couldn't say anything about that just yet.

"Well then Harry, let's get you off to bed," Clara said kindly. "After you get up in the morning is when you will want to shower. Also Mrs. Granger his bedding will have to be done as well. Though we vanish the bones, the thing is, they have to go somewhere. Everything goes somewhere, and we have found that what we truly do is turn the bone into a dust that exits the body through the pores. If the bedding is not changed and cleaned then the dust will begin to clump and while you sleep make the sheets feel gritty and painful to sleep on."

"That's what happens?" Amelia asked, "I never knew."

"Healer classes teach it. Shame they no longer do an introduction to healing arts at Hogwarts anymore. Many of us older folks found our love for the healing arts through that class, though I do hear that the matron there will take some on and teach them a little then tell them where to go to get the training needed to become a full healer."

"Are there many classes that are no longer given at Hogwarts?" Hermione inquired as the group slowly made their way upstairs to where the young man would be sleeping.

"Oh yes. Back in my grandmother's grandmother's time they had a basic alchemy class, enchanting, economics, banking and money management, then there was the daily life courses. Oh those ones always sounded so much fun to me. They taught sewing and magical embroidery, cooking, cleaning, and spells in order to quickly remove stains, or heal very minor injuries," she sighed thinking of all the classes that had fallen away.

"Home economics classes," Emma said as she opened the door to the royal blue bedroom. "That sounds very interesting; could you get me the titles of the course books? Even though I can't cast spells, it would be interesting to read, and perhaps Hermione might take up a hobby from them other than reading," her mother teased.

"Certainly! I'm sure they are still in circulation somewhere, but if the bookstores in the Alley don't have them, they will do their best to find you a copy." The medi-witch smiled. "Now you just get yourself changed while we wait here, and let us know when you are ready."

"Dan why don't you take Amelia to where the Floo can be installed, that way when this is all done she can go home and rest," Emma said with a smile.

After entering harry closed the door and glanced about the room. The whole place was bigger than the smallest bedroom of Privet Drive, to be sure. There was the closet, and a nice sized standing dresser, a mirror on the back of the closet door, a desk for doing homework, and a small nightstand on either side of the queen sized bed, with the small bedside reading lamps, and a digital alarm clock, the floor was a polished wood, with a blue oriental style rug, which matched the blue of the curtains and bedding. His school trunk had been placed at the foot of the bed so that he could get into it.

He was going to have to write a thank you letter to the aurors that had been thoughtful enough to bring his belongings here. Once he dug out a new set of night clothes he changed and placed his worn clothes in a wicker laundry hamper inside the closet, and then shut the door. Once more his eyes looked over the room, this would take a bit of getting used to, but it would be nice to be treated like a human being this time around.

"Ready," he said opening the bedroom door to allow the three females access. Hermione was the last to enter, and moved over to sit on the bed that he was not moving to occupy.

Clara took the blanket and sheet and pulled them down to below his feet, and then began to set bottles up on the nightstand.

"Here is what we are going to do," she said as she continued to prepare, "I will be casting a spell that will gently hold your body in place for the night. This way you wont turn over and manage to somehow get a bone that comes back misshapen, and yes it has happened though very rarely. Once that is done I am going to begin with a spell that will allow me to target all of the bones that need to be vanished so that I only have to cast that spell once.

"With that done I will be using a nifty device that for some reason went out of fashion, but lucky for you I found one," she brought out something that resembled a turkey baster with a very narrow slightly curved tube. "This was used to give potions to patients that were in a coma. I admit is will feel a bit strange, but this will keep you from tasting most of the potion and having to fight that urge to purge it from your system.

"Once you have the Skelegrow in your stomach, I am going to give you another potion that will give you some much needed nutrients for your bones to grow back very healthy, and will in fact strengthen your current bones and heal and small issues. After that one with been a Dreamless Sleep potion, and like its name this will cause you to drift off almost instantly. Then all you have to do is sleep and let magic run its course," she said with a grin.

"While you were getting ready your cousin came out of the bathroom. He's off to bed in the room that shares the headboard wall with you," Hermione said looking at him a bit worriedly. "I know we just met recently Harry, but I feel like I have known you for a long time already."

"That could be your magics talking," Clara said as she measured out each dose of potion before they started. "Sometimes one person's magic will call out to another. People like that feel very comfortable with the other, no matter what they have been through, and they have very strong and lasting friendships, and sometimes they will marry and live very happy long lives."

"Really? So it isn't strange that I feel like that about Hermione?"

"Not at all. I am your dedicate healer, for all three of you kids, and for both you and your husband Emma," she stated. "Once I am done with harry, before I leave I would like to do a scan on you and Dan. Nothing as invasive as what I did for the boys, as you aren't going to need it for a court case, but just something to let me help the both of you keep up with three magical children."

"Thank you, we might need all the help we can get with two growing boys in the house now," she grinned.

"All set then Harry?" He nodded and tried to relax his body into the bed, though truth be told he was rather nervous about this whole thing. "When it is time to administer the potions I will do so in rapid succession, that way they will get working at about the same time."

Emma and Hermione watched as the medical witch raised her wand and began making gestures over his body, and pointing at certain places on his body. The words were almost lyrical in the rhythm, and even in the cadence. At the very end of the one spell she made a single gesture and a command. Her actions were quick an dwell practiced as she used her wand to place the potion into the tube, and then carefully placed it in Harry's mouth and administered the thick potion. Once more the wand and without moving the tube the next potion was ready, and gone, and then the same with the final one.

"Sleep well Harry," Hermione said as she saw his eyes begin to close.

"Now you need to get ready and head to bed as well young lady," her mother said. "It has been a very trying day, and you will need your rest as well."

"Yes mum. Thank you Clara for all you have done so far," she said before rising up from the bed and heading out of the room.

"You are quite welcome my dear," she replied before the girl left, and then turned her attention to repacking her supplies.

To say that Hermione was anxious was an understatement. Here she was laying in the dark wanting to fall asleep but also wanting to be with Harry. So trying to take her mind off of her healing soul mate she turned it instead to the problem that they were now going to face, multiple soul mates in the relationship.

Would they be older, or younger, or all about the same age giver or take a few months? Would they have to deal with someone that they could not possibly stand the last time through, or would everyone somehow manage to make this thing work. A five way bond was going to be interesting, but then there were other issues, like sleeping arrangements.

Questions spinning through her mind, she finally exhausted her own brain and passed out, only waking when her internal clock told her it was seven.

Her morning routine was quick and easy, and once she was dressed for the day she headed right to Harry's room and sat on the unoccupied side watching over him as he still slumbered.

Just in watching him sleep she knew that the potions had done their job well. Where as he just seemed small and waifish before, now even being asleep he looked more like a active young boy. The way his face sat relaxed she could tell that his jaw, and even his nose had changed just a bit. Glancing down the length of his body, from the way the covers had been placed over him, he had grown a bit as well.

It had been obvious that it was going to happen since when she removed the bones, his legs had given up form and just lay there like a half filled water balloon. Now his legs had form again, and she wondered how tall he would get once everything had been corrected. It would be nice to look into those green eyes without the dust on his glasses too.

"Is he awake yet?" the other young boy asked from the doorway, slowly coming into the room.

"Not yet, but it looks like he may have grown a bit taller overnight," she said gesturing to the prone boy.

"That stuff she gave me to drink last night really did knock me out, but I think that was the best sleep I have ever had," he said with a grin as he climbed up and sat next to his cousin across from the young girl. "Yeah, I think you're right, he may have grown. He does look better too."

Silence claimed a few moments as the two stared at the healing boy, wishing he would wake up so they could ask him how he was feeling, and see if he had gotten taller.

"Dudley, are you excited about your trip to get school supplies in a few days?" she asked turning her attention to the other boy.

"Yeah, and nervous too, I mean my mum and dad have taught me to hate anything not 'normal' by their standards. Now with my magic, and I can feel it, I feel like I wasn't normal before. I feel like me for the first time," he said scrunching up his face. "I dunno, sounds odd saying it like that."

"Well this is your normal now. You, Harry and I get to learn all of this new stuff together too. We might not be sorted into the same dorms, but that doesn't mean we can't meet up and help each other do the best that we can in school, and have some fun too."

"That sounds good, but," he paused still a bit uncertain of himself before going on. "How am I going to pay for everything? I really don't have any money of my own. They may have set up as savings account for me when I was born, but I'm not really sure."

"Well," Hermione said as she tried to think who they could talk to about that issue.

"You don't have to worry Dudley, I can get everything for you," Harry said as he looked at the two of them grinning.

"Really? I mean even after all the things I did to you, and my parents did?"

"You're family Dudley," he replied as if that settled everything. "Also you are sorry for that stuff. I think I'd be a bit more upset if you weren't. So don't worry about it, my parents left me a trust fund, and with the money I pulled to shop with I still have quite a bit. So we can get you all you need, and some other cool stuff too."

"And just what other cool stuff might that be?" Hermione asked staring at him, hoping he wasn't going to try to break a rule already by getting a broom.

"Madame Bones said it might be a good idea to get a pair of flight goggles for when we learn how to fly on a broom. That way if we fly for fun and it gets windy, dust and dirt wont hurt my eyes. She also said not many people wear them because they don't look cool. So I was thinking a whole aviator kind of style for when we go flying," he said with a grin.

"I think," Hermione began as the unbidden image and blush crept upon her, "that would be very wise. I also think that you would look quite dashing like that."

"Well the thing is, if only I do it, it will seem odd. Yet if you two dress up like that with me," he said looking at Dudley.

"Yeah that could be fun, like those old flying ace movies! Mum forced me to watch a few of the lovey-dovey ones, but a couple others didn't get all kissy faced too much, and the flying was so cool to watch," his cousin said looking excited by the prospect of not only flying, but dressing up like some action star.

"I'm still not certain about flying, but dressing up like Amy Johnson would be a lot of fun," she said with a grin. Though the boys gave her a blank looks she just sighed and went right into the lecture. "First woman to fly from London to Australia solo, broke several speed records, and flew in the service for World War Two, though she was the first Air Transport Auxiliary causality in the war, and her body was never recovered."

"Also flew with Jack Humphries," Dan said as he came into the room from his place leaning on the door frame. "Some of us would salute her every time we passed by her picture in the hall when in the service. I think the idea of flying leathers and such is a great idea. It'll make your mother feel a bit safer about the fact that the three of you are going up into the air, not nestled into a tin can," he said with a smirk. "Amelia, Clara and your mum will be up in a few moments. I came up to see if I had to roust anyone from bed."

"Dad do you still have that book with all the photos of the famous pilots?" At his affirmative she grinned, "Then you should dig it out, and we can take it with us to make sure our flight gear is as close to authentic looking as we can get."

"I'll get right on that,' he said as he turned to leave. "I can hear them coming now."

"Everything alright Dan?" they could hear her mother ask.

"Right as rain, the kids were just chatting about things. So I shall leave them at your tender mercies as I have a book to go dig out," with that he gave a quick salute and began humming a catchy little tune.

"Morning everyone," Clara said brightly as she came in and cast a charm to allow Harry the ability to move once more. "The spell would have worn off in another hour, but since you are awake, you should be allowed to move about a bit. How are you feeling?"

"I feel great," harry beamed as he put on his glasses. "I feel like I am breathing easier than ever, and I just feel better in general."

"That is what I like to hear," she said and began casting a very short diagnostic.

"I came to let you all know what is going on so far, in regards to your parents Dudley. They went in and the information was given, and they are to be held without bail because they were caught in the act, and because of the brutality of it all. Your Aunt Marge did show up and demand to have you handed over to her, as your father called her to let her know what was going on."

Dudley slowly deflated where he sat wondering if he would be handed over to the large woman.

"Quite simply they told her they would send someone to her home to talk with her today. They are sending a member of Child Protective Services, an officer, an animal control agent, and a social worker. What she thinks is that they will have someone have her sign a few things and then bring you over later today, but wheat she is getting is a whole home inspection, an inspection of her dog breeding, as well as the social worker to sit and discuss with her about the need for you to have counseling, and a diet change, and many other things. If she is belligerent with any one of them, or her home is not set for you to come over and be lived in, and you will not be going there. Since I was in the courtroom when the bail was denied, I can say that she will never have custody of you.

"Now they may ask you to visit her, but it will be in their offices, and they will not let her take you with her. As it stands I sent an auror to her place and let them have a peek at things. From what I was told there was no way for her to have the place looking good enough by the time they show up there at nine. In fact it is quite likely that all of her animals will be taken from her, and she might have to have a social worker come help her. I believe my agent said she was a hoarder, and that one room of her home was nothing but a great rubbish heap. So you can relax, it would take a few magicals to clean that place and someone really quite adept at mind magics to change her overnight." Amelia grinned as the boy relaxed, happy that he wasn't going there but also a bit conflicted about the issue with his own parents.

"As for the house on Privet Drive, and all of your parents funding, it has been frozen. Nothing can be done really until after the trial. Technically the house is still a crime scene, but a few squib police contact my office and said they can take you into the house to collect some of your things if you like. Otherwise they did find a suitcase and packed up a few drawers of clothes for you."

"I don't think I can go back there yet," he said swallowing thickly while he recalled the image of his father's face as he smacked him for the first time ever, not to mention what had happened to Harry.

"Take your time, you never have to go back there again if you do not want to," Amelia said as she squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "I can send a house elf over after it is no longer a crime scene to collect all of your belongings."

"A house elf?" he asked tilting his head up at her.

"They are small magical beings that work in most wizarding homes. They magically bind themselves to the family and are usually treated like family, though there are some families that tend to see them as slaves and lesser beings," she said looking at him.

"Do you pay them?" Hermione asked, feeling a bit of déjà vu but not really understanding it quite yet.

"Not in money or even really in anything of what you might call tangible value. The bond they have gives them magic to use, and they rather enjoy cleaning and doing all household work. Most of us really don't know all of the ins and outs of how it works, just that it does. Yet there is a small group of people who are trying to find out more about the bond, and what it really does for the house elves."

"Have they found anything out yet?" she asked worried for the little beings welfare now that she knew there was abuse.

"Yes they have. The most interesting thing that I think they have found out is that the stronger a family bond is, and the more stable the family, the more happy and healthy the elf. They have been doing this study for only four years now, but they managed to purchase a rather sickly elf from someone, the person selling thought that he made the buyer overpay. He still has no idea that the elf in question is making a recovery, still not a full one yet, but he is doing quite well with the family he was asked to bond to." She smiled as the bushy haired activist calmed a bit at this. "After you get a few years in at school I will get you in touch with them. I'm sure they would love for more people to get interested, but right now everything is rather hush hush. If some families found out what was going on, there would be another whole slew of legislation to fight to allow them to do this research. So do you think the three of you can keep this a secret?"

After they all gave her an affirmative, she smiled at them and then looked to the healer.

"Good news Harry! You have grown almost seven inches, and all of your bones are now re-grown, healed, or strengthening up. I would like to keep you on this as a weekly potion, all three of you in fact, until you leave for school." She looked over the three of them, "having nice strong bones will help you to stay healthy with all the stairs you have to climb. That is why I am not so worried about you losing weight right now Dudley, you will be doing plenty or running up and down stairs and long corridors while in the castle.

"As for your magic, it seems to be holding steady in getting stronger, and it is actually eating away at the binding that was placed upon you. As for that other issue you were told about, it seems that your magic has strengthened the new core casing. Again we shall keep an eye on it, but try not to have any bouts of accidental magic, or even try casting right now.

"Emma has been informed of the potion regimen that the three of you are to have, and they are set up in a cabinet downstairs in the kitchen. I will come back in a few days to check up on how all three of you are doing at that time. Any questions?" she asked looking directly at Hermione.

Though she and everyone was surprised when she shook her head no, though everyone was certain she would start a list to ask when the healer came back. The woman nodded and headed back out of the room and downstairs with Amelia.

"Well then, the two of you that are dressed should head down for breakfast. Harry take a nice hot bath or shower, and then come on downstairs. I'll collect the bedding later," she said with a warm smile to the boy and then ushered the other two out and closed the door.


	13. Chapter 13

"AN: I am back! I am really sorry for the loooooooong time of no updates. Hubby's surgery went well, and then he ha dto back because of an infection... then he was home and then back with getting the screws out, and then back with an infection and surgery for the other foot where they had to remove a bit of bone that had become infected... i found out i have gained a seasonal allergy or seasonal asthma... then when i finally thought i could get back to all of this... the sewer main to my house backed up... so there was that to deal with... but now everything has calmed down a bit in my life, so i can get back to this :)/p  
"Again sorry for the long delay, and I am not going to have set schedule for updates, though in November it will be pretty regular, because that is National Novel writing month...  
Hope you all enjoy this one, the next one might have some time leaps so that I can get them on the train... but it all depends on how the flow goes. As always this is just a rough draft and all i did was try to fix spelling.../p  
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"Is there anything else I can do for you right now Emma?" Clara asked as she followed her and children back downstairs, her voice laced with concern.  
"No," she replied slowly. "What you told us after the scans last night is taking some time to digest. However Dan and I really have not had a lot of time to discuss things." Hermione looked back to her mother worriedly as the tone of the conversation. "Nothing to worry about Hermione, I promise."  
"Oh, I didn't mean to worry you too," Clara said looking at the young girl. "It is all just an offer to heal things that are currently healed but didn't do the best of job. Like Harry with some of his injuries, and while the medical field does what they can, sometimes magic can just do better at some things."  
The young Hermione nodded in acceptance of this information and moved back into the kitchen to find out what they were having for breakfast.  
"You just take your time with it then," the older woman said with a pat on her arm. "Get in touch with me after the kids are off to school."  
"Thank you again Clara," Emma said as she smiled at the witch. "I might have a lot of questions for you in the coming years. For now though I think I will just keep these kids on their potions and ready for their schooling adventure. Hard to think that they will be leaving in less than a month now, and that we have two boys to look after as well."  
"Well even if you need to just talk, please don't hesitate. You and your husband are wonderful people for taking in both boys, and I don't think that either is going to give you much trouble, at least until after their first year of school is done. While this is a change for you it is for them as well." She gave the younger woman a quick hug and then moved to the entry to Apparate away, "but remember even if you just want to talk about nothing, feel free to contact me."  
"Thank you again," she replied gratefully before the crack sounded and the woman was gone.

Emma entered the kitchen to find her husband and Amelia having coffee with the kids ate. Quickly she grabbed her own mug and joined them.  
"i will have to leave for the office soon," Amelia said, "but thank you for this cup. I am going to need it with all the paperwork I have to get through."  
"I'll have to head to the practice today," Dan said eyeing his wife.  
"I know, and thankfully I only have that one new patient late this afternoon. So I am going to leave the three here for a few hours while I go stock up on food for two growing boys," she said with a grin. "I am also going to give that magic cookbook a try and see if I can't make one of Gram's favorites," she smiled thinking about the lost recipes of her family that might just have been found.  
"Well if you need help with anything feel free to ask, I am not a cook so I can't help you there. However I can help with other things, as the kids are also now my responsibility as well," she said with a smile. "My niece, Susan, is also my ward. She spends a lot of her time with her friends at their homes as well, but it might be nice for her to meet these three as well and spend some time with them. I'll be bringing her and her friend Hanna with us on Saturday for shopping."  
"Perfect," Dan said with a wide smile.  
"Yes, even if they don't all become best friends, at least that will be two more people they know," Emma said with a smile and felt some worry leave her.  
"Well it will be even better I feel that Susan and Hannah meet some people with a very different upbringing then they have had. The girls have never met a muggle-born, let alone a muggle. Also since these three are going to be coming into the magical world, it would be good for them to meet kids their own age and talk about how growing up was very different for them."  
"Oh I am sure Hermione will question them about everything," Emma said with a chuckle.  
"Susan will be interested as well. Hannah is a bit shy, but once she gets used to the others she will open up," the witch said before draining her cup and setting it on the counter. "Sadly though I must be off. I have things to file, cases to look at, and I am sure people to yell at," she said with a wry grin. "Owl me if anything comes up."  
"Thank you again," Dan said as he escorted the woman out to the entry for her to magic herself away.

The hot shower was heavenly to him as he dried off and dressed in the bathroom. It was much larger than the one his relatives had, and had a welcoming feel, rather than the sterile perfection his aunt had favored. The towels were mismatched on the bar, only a few things were color coordinated, and the toothpaste tube had been squeezed from the middle. He couldn't help but smile as he brushed his teeth. These changes were the best things that had ever happened to him so far. Then he looked at himself in the mirror.  
For a few moments he just stared at himself and the almost invisible scar on his forehead. Carefully he touched it and felt how it had healed since just yesterday. There was barely a raise up from the scar tissue, and it felt smooth. In fact now he realized once more how great his own body felt. For the first time ever he was getting what he needed to be a healthy kid, and with luck by the time he got to school, no glasses either. No more begin almost blind without them, no more worrying about them breaking and having to fix them with tape or glue.  
With a quick stop back into his own room to toss things into the laundry hamper he headed downstairs in time to wave at Madame Bones before she left.  
"Ready for breakfast and your first round of potions Harry?" Dan asked the young man as he came into view.  
"Food, yes. Potions," he paused and sighed, "yes. I know that they are going to help me, and I wont be on them forever, but I just wish it was a one time thing and done."  
"Don't we all," Dan said with a laugh. "Don't we all. Sadly we must all take medicine every now and again, but with luck yours wont have that nasty cherry flavor that you can't seem to ever get rid of."  
Harry couldn't help but shudder at that thought of the dreaded Cherry Flavor so many medicines favored. It didn't even taste like a cherry and the whole thing was always so vile and he was right, it took forever to get that off of your tongue.  
"Good morning Harry," Emma said as she set down a stack of pancakes at an empty chair for the lad. "Have some breakfast, and I shall get everyone's potions for the day."  
He sat and began to tuck into the food as Dan got himself another cup of coffee, and Emma brought over three chemistry style test tube racks made of wood, each one with a name on it and placed it in front of the correct child.  
"Unless we are having company over these will stay at your seat at the table. As it was explained to me, you are to take your potions with a meal to help them work better. Also the vials will fill for the dose you need to take at that meal, and for the most part that will be breakfast only. Harry starting tonight you will be taking your eye potion with dinner, and every other night from here after. That is the only evening one anyone will have to take unless you do get ill. She said that the healing of eyes will take time but that it goes faster while you sleep because you are not trying to focus and look at things. So resting eyes are healing eyes," she said with a grin.  
"Now then, onto house rules," Dan began, "and I will make this quick since I have to get going very soon. No horseplay or violence in the house. Magic might be able to heal you faster but let's not get hurt in the first place, so no running on the stairs either. Keep the music and the television to a dull roar, the neighbors are not interested in knowing what you are watching. Treat each other with respect, and at least one hour of reading, and one hour of physical activity a day." He looked at the three of them and grinned, "since I hear you have a lot of stairs I say use the treadmill, bike, and rowing machine, but only with an adult present. You may as well prepare for those stairs and such now rather than feel out of breath and dying of exhaustion on your first day of classes."  
"Also if any the three of you just need to talk, we are both here for you and will be as nonjudgmental as we can be. You boys are now part of this family, and we hope that the two of you will let us help you both grow into wonderful young men, and let us get to know you as well," Emma added with a smile.  
"Right, and now I must be off, got a cavity to fill on a ten year old," Dan said with a grin. "Rather nice to know you kids wont have to have those since potions can be used to keep your teeth strong, though I will expect to hear more about how the wizarding world cares for their teeth too," and with that he set his now empty mug down and gave a wave as he headed to the garage to leave.  
"I too am going to be off for a bit. I want the three of you to relax and get to know each other better as friends while I go to stock us up on more groceries. There will be some junk food purchased but not a lot, I warn you all now." She looked over the three of them carefully, "Since it is only Thursday, and I took tomorrow off as well from the practice, I will be teaching the three of you the basics of cooking if you don't already know them."  
"You're going to try to make Gram's favorites," Hermione shrieked with joy.  
"Yes, I want to try the cookbook out. So I will need help in the kitchen, and it will be a good learning experience and get to know you better time for me," Emma said with a smile at the boys.  
"Harry already knows how to cook really well Mrs. Granger," Dudley said glumly looking at his plate. "My parents made him do almost all the cooking, and all of the clean up."  
"It's OK Dudley," Harry said and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "I actually came to love doing the cooking, and found it fun."  
"Really?" he asked back to his cousin.  
"Really. I know you don't know much about the kitchen, but that means maybe I can help Mrs. Granger teach as well," he said with a grin. "I've never helped teach anything before."  
"Well then, that is decided. Now boys, you don't have to call my Mrs. Granger all the time, but I don't expect you to call me mum either. So feel free to call me Emma, or Auntie, or even Auntie Em," she said with a grin as her daughter groaned at the reference. Her mother couldn't help but smile at the reaction before she continued, "now, once you finish your meals and those potions rinse the dishes and place them in the washer. Hermione can show you around the house, but I do think it might be good for you three to find out what each of you likes and likes, those kind of things. That way you can find more to talk about, and help each other out while at school. I'll be back in a couple of hours," and with that she also left.  
"Well bottoms up I guess," Harry said taking the first vial from his rack and downing it. He had expected some vile taste like he had recalled from the times he had seen in his memories of first year. However these actually tasted fairly nice. "Not as bad as I thought it would be. They don't taste bad," he said looking at the other two.  
Both Dudley and Hermione were not really trusting of this reaction, however they too had found the taste almost pleasant.  
"Wow," Dudley stated looking tat the small rack with his name. "The medicine companies could learn a thing or two from them. Wouldn't be such a fight to get me to take my meds if they tasted like this."

After breakfast was done and dishes away the three went to the living room to sit and chat. Here Hermione became her old self and she dug out three different colored notebooks and pens handing one of each to the boys and taking one pair for herself.  
"What is this for?" Dudley asked very confused.  
"Lists," she beamed proudly. "I know it is not a cool thing to do, but it helps me to keep things straight. So since we each have a notebook, we can each make a list of likes, and dislikes, and things we are good at or not so good at. Then mum and dad can read them as well to get to know you both better, but also if we let each other read them, then we can help each other with what skills we already have, and get help with things we aren't so good at."  
"Like I'm good at cooking and cleaning," Harry said catching on to what he thought she was up to, "but I'm not very good at being social?"  
"So like I am really good at video games, but not so good with school work," Dudley said catching on as well.  
"I'm really good at school work, because I am really good at reading and remembering things. That's one big reason I was seen as a know-it-all bookworm at school and didn't have many friends. So I'd like to be friends with both of you to get better at being one, and I can help you find better ways to learn and study," she said with a hopeful smile.  
"I'm not really sure what I am all that good at," Dudley replied looking at the blank paper before him, "well other than video games."  
"Not to worry," she said reassuringly. "These are so you can write as we go and learn about one another. If we take them with us around the house, then we can write in them as we figure things out. So don't feel rushed, I'm not sure what I can really put in mine either."  
"Well since this isn't something we have to do right now," Harry said looking at the two, "why don't we make a list of what we want to pick up when we go shopping again."  
"Brilliant! I'll go get my list of first year items so we can start from there," Hermione said and dashed from the room.  
"How are you doing Dud?"  
"I dunno. I mean this is all kind of strange and twilight zone for me. Dad hits me, and then I'm a wizard, and now here, and," he looked at his cousin. "It all feels so unreal. I mean I like it so far, and knowing that Aunt Marge isn't going to take me away from here, but this is all so different."  
"I know what you mean. On the bright side though, you don't have to go to Smeltings, and you get to learn magic," he said with a small grin.  
"Yeah, magic is going to make up for a lot of things I think," Dudley said with a small nod. "I'm kinda scared about having magic, after what mum and dad said for all those years, but I'm still me right?"  
"Yeah, you're still you. I know they said some horrible things, but it doesn't change that you will always be you. With or without magic, you can only be you," he said as Hermione came back into the room with her list of 1st year supplies. Dudley looked a bit confused but nodded at his words, as he tried to understand what he meant.  
"Right well, here's the list," she said spreading it out before the newest wizard. "We can get all of these things on Saturday in Diagon Alley."  
"Parchment and quills?" the large boy said confused. "What are those?"  
"Parchment is like paper, and quills are feather that you dip into ink in order to write with," she said without he lecture tone.  
"Oh, well," he looked at the list again and then to the two of them. "Wouldn't a bunch of pens and mechanical pencils, and notebooks be better?"  
Hermione opened her mouth to say something to the contrary, but stopped and closed her mouth trying to figure out a valid argument for this. For his part Harry was also going through his own memories to find out if there was any real reason he couldn't have brought modern supplies.  
"The parchment is measured in feet, so perhaps the professors just ask for a length like that for work instead of pages?" Hermione said still trying to figure out why she had never questioned it before either.  
"What if we took our notes in notebooks, and then wrote assignments on parchment?" the green eyed boy said with an idea forming in his head, "I mean my handwriting is not the best, and if I have to learn to write all over again with a quill that will take more than the time we have now."  
"Actually," the bushy girl said while her mind spun ideas out by the second, "I took a calligraphy class last summer. So I could teach you both a bit of that, and we could get those pens at the art supply store. Writing our assignments might take more time, but they will look much nicer than if we tried a quill on day one. Even so, we can ask Madame Bones when we go shopping about pens and paper." Taking a page from her own notebook she began to write down the school supplies they might want to pick up in the muggle world. "What else can you think of wanting Dudley? You too Harry, let's get a good list so that we can be well prepared for school. If we don't use it, then we can bring it back during holiday, and if we find we need something we didn't think of, we can pick it up then as well," she smiled broadly to the two boys. "This is going to be so exciting! I have two friends going to school with me, and the fact that we are all in the same boat at being new to this!"  
Well that last part was a partial lie, the two had their memories. Granted their bodies had never cast a spell really, so it would all be about re-teaching their bodies how to cast and move, and for Harry also learning how to live without glasses and a different height, weight, and ability to learn. Just what would their year bring? Would he have to save Hermione from a Troll again, or would someone else get cornered by it? Would he have to go through the petty war with Draco?

Emma came home to find the three talking about what they should get for school, and she left them to their list instead of asking them for help bringing in the groceries. The talk of Trapper keepers, pencil bags, folders, and board games, had put a smile onto her own face.  
While at the store she had pushed the trolley absentmindedly praying that the three kids would become fast close friends. It was always a worry in her mind that Dudley would go back to being a bully, but it seemed that the shock of what happened may have helped change him completely. Hoping that would stay true through to school and during was another thing entirely, but that would have to be dealt with as it happened. Talking with Amelia would definitely help put her mind at ease, and the fact that the woman would be able to go there and check up on the kids to make certain they were doing well.  
She and Dan had always wanted a second, and perhaps even a third child, but things just had not been on their side. Now with the fostering of the two boys, they finally had a full home, and it made her feel so happy. Dan was beside himself with the fact that he now had two boys to talk to and even teach how to shoot sidearms as well as a shotgun. There was also going to be the talk of football and rugby in the house, and the fact that this was going to happen made her smile. These two boys needed a better home life, and if the two of them let it happen, they would be quickly part of the family and being there would feel even more like home than where they had been.  
They were not big on yelling, and never really had to with their daughter, but boys on the other hand could get a bit rowdy. Time would tell with how they would need to discipline the two boys, though she really hoped that they wouldn't have to worry about that until they came home at the end of the school year, at least by that point they would have a better rules list that would need to be stuck to. That would mean summer rules, and school rules, and with luck the school rules would not be too strict that they would feel the need to be overly rowdy when they came back from school.

Dan arrived home to find his wife finishing dinner alone in the kitchen with no sign of the kids.  
"Everything alright?" he asked puzzled by the lack of noise.  
"Very much so," she smiled back to him. "The kids are still making a shopping list of things they want to bring to school. Between organizers, and standard school things, they want to bring some board games and other things like that. I think I heard Clue mentioned, and Trivial Pursuit."  
"Maybe I should explain to the kids that they should never go against Hermione in a trivia game, and that a betting pool for her to stomp people would be perfectly alright," he smirked.  
"Don't you dare! We do not need the kids gambling at their age!" she glared at him while brandishing a wooden spoon at him, "speaking of, why don't you go get them for dinner. They missed lunch because I did not want to interrupt, and I doubt they even know what time it is."

Soon enough the kitchen table was filled with food and the five of them surrounding it, all eating and talking about what they would need for school, or need to talk with their magical guardian about. It was all so lively, and filled with laughter at comments and even some playful mock teasing among the three kids. Emma couldn't help but smile, magic did truly exist and here were three magical children, two of which were choosing the go forwards and try to forgive and forget the past, and make a new start not only with one another but also with the rest of the world.  
Another surprise came after dinner when the three claimed that they would do the rest of the clean up. Obviously it was too early for Harry to take his potion to help with his eyes, so the three would then retire to the living room once more to finish deciding who would bring what in each of their trunks, and what would be on the side for when they came home at holiday to take back with them.  
"It almost feels like they have been friends for years," Dan said as Emma joining him in the study across the hall from where the kids were debating about which board games were best.  
"I know, and it just seems right. I guess it is like they said yesterday, magic is helping them become friends faster. That and I think they all just needed a pair of good friends to begin with," she smiled snuggling close to her husband on the couch.  
"Well this makes me feel a lot more confident on sending Hermione off to some boarding school in Scotland. She will have two friends, and they will likely protect her from bullies as well," he said before kissing the top of his wife's head.  
"Let's not forget the head of the magical law enforcement is their other guardian as well. That also is another thing that makes me feel good about this, and the fact that they will get to meet two more kids before heading off to school." Turning her head she looked up at her spouse, "I was thinking that it might be fun to invite the two girls they meet this weekend over sometime this summer, so that they get a chance to really see what the non-magical world is like. Maybe take them to a movie, the zoo, or the amusement park?"  
"Now that sounds like a fun weekend," he chuckled. "We definitely need to make that happen as a last hurrah before school."


	14. Chapter 14

AN: So here we go! haven't been able to write since the Hubby and I got chest colds. Hacking and coughing not good for working on things, but as we are both much better (and almost done with the gunk) he was able to head off to play practice, which means i have the blissful silence to write in :) So here is the next installment.

For those who do wonder I am working on writing more often as NaNo WriMo is just next month, for those who haven't heard of National novel Writing Month, let me say it is a blast, and stressful, and rewarding, and daunting. The goal is to write at least 50k in 1 month... the month of November. That was where i started this story last year, and where i will continue it this year. I also get very hyped up by trying to match the word count of my friends and try to get ahead of them :) So please come join us for that and check out the nano website ( )

And now, please enjoy!

Somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains sits an old gas station trading post, surrounded by wilderness, a singular light over the ancient pumps. As for the building itself, the trading post looked like a stereo-typical log cabin, with a double wide trailer attached off to one side of it. A sign hung above the whole place, shrouded in shadows and all Fate could do was sigh, ' Luck Would Have It ' .

As she walked the paces towards the shop she saw the goddess of luck come out to greet her with a big smile.

" Oh it has been far too long !" she squealed like a young girl and ran to give Fatima a big hug.  
" This isn't a pleasure visit Chancie. This is about the wool you helped pull over even my eyes, and the fact that you are aiding Discord in keeping me from knowing what is going on, " she began to pry herself from the grasp of the woman before her. " Can you please act like an adult here ?"  
"Fuddy Duddy, " she replied after sticking her tongue out and beginning the casual stroll back tot eh shop. " Really the whole thing is quite simple, you started the snowball rolling, " she shrugged.  
" What do you mean by that ?" now nervously eyeing the woman next to her, watching as her brown hair shown the silver and gold strands that represented her station.  
" Simple, " she grinned devilishly at her companion, " you said you wanted to tie up loose ends and prophecies that hadn't been completed yet. Your predecessor left you quite the mess, and I know you have not really gone through all of them, I mean frankly that would take a millennium. So Chaos came and asked me to help see if any others could be found to tie up with what you have going on with the Potter Problem. "  
The two sat on a log bench outside the store and Chance looked up at the moths darting about the light. Silence stretched on, the only sounds that of the breeze through the trees, and somewhere a bobcat calling out to its mate.  
" And ?" Fatima almost shouted after too much time had seemed to pass.  
" And what ? We found a few more prophecies and decided to give you a helping hand, " her smile was saccharine sweet, and tone conspiratorial.  
" What prophecies, " she snarled.  
" That would be telling, and we need to stop this talk here. I have a customer, " she said rising to her feet and brushing off her pants that shifted into a handmade skirt.  
" What are you talking about ? There is no one around here for miles !" she stood shouting out pointing at the trees as proof.  
" Look there, " she smiled pointing at the road from the north, and true to her words there came a rusty car held together by a prayer and some duct tape. Fate blinked stunned by the fact that anyone would even be in the woods at this time of night.  
The car rolled into the station, on fumes by the way a bump in the road gave it the last bit of gas it had in the tank. The woman inside the car looked beaten to a pulp, and the three young daughters looked scared, even though they were sleeping.  
" Evening, " the goddess said as the woman got out of the car. " Oh dear me, you in need of some help love ?"  
"I, " the woman was startled and not sure about the two women now looking at her. " I just need a tank of gas. "  
"I think you are needing more than that dear, " Chancie said and moved to fill the woman's tank up. " Now you just let me give you a hand, and all those nasty troubles you got on your mind will melt away. I know a little family run inn down the mountain here. You let me ring them up for you and they will have a hot meal set up and waiting for you and your girls. I know it may sound odd of me to say all this to you, but i really don't get many visitors here, so you just let me do the rambling on. "  
The woman nodded, as Fate sat and watched the scene play out before her. Frankly she had never seen the goddess at work except for those instances at a distance with luck, this was different. It obviously meant something to the other deity.  
" Now that couple that runs the place, oh they are a sweet pair ! Their last child moved away about ten years ago, and they have a heap of grand kids, but don't get to see them much. Parents work all the time just to make ends meet. Four years ago they buried one of their girls, and a grand babe with. Husband was a mean drunk, got a ham fisted on the sauce. Well, long story short, they don't think any lady need be treated like that and they want to help any that have been. Now you look like you been through the ringer tonight, and your girls there are gonna need something to make it all seem alright. Now this inn they run has two parts to it, one is the bed and breakfast in the house. The other part is they got some land, so they bought a bunch of trailers and done them up as little private inns for people staying a long time.  
" Now even more in your favor, they have helped so many that they actually know a really good divorce lawyer who lives down the road. Plus the neighbor is a doctor, works their own private practice. All these people have been touched by what you have been going through, and right now you could use some good luck, stead of the bad you been dealing with.  
" So once I finish filling your tank you can be on your way to a bit of well needed piece of mind and rest. Fae, could you go and get this nice lady some drinks and toiletries ? Also bring me that small blue book from the register ?"  
Fate took her cue and went to collect the items from inside, though she had looked at the fates of all that the other goddess were dealing with. Until now their fates were all dark, but the fact they made it here, and what little meddling was going on, meant that the youngest would still live a full life. This was what the gods were supposed to do, try to help when they could, and the lives of those three girls would someday change the lives of others for the better when they got older. The butterfly effect had started, and the good was far reaching so long as another block like the husband didn't pop up too soon.  
Returning she handed the woman a fabric bag filled with bottled water and some juices, toothbrushes and the other toiletries that the four would need. Not enough to last forever, but enough to get them through a week.  
" No, you don't owe me a thing dear heart. you just get yourself down to the inn, and look after yourself and those girls of yours. " Taking the book she pulled out a card and handed it to the woman, " here is the address. " As she handed the card over a soft silver glow moved to the injured woman. " Wont be hard for you to find, you just keep heading south from here, and you will get back out the main roads. You be safe now, and you just pay the goodness forwards. "

The two watched the woman crying her thank yous and promises, get back into the car and drive off down the road. Once more they were enveloped with the quiet of the woods.  
" So this is what you do ?" Fate inquired still staring at the southern road.  
" I can't help everyone, but when their luck needs me the most, they find me. I set their luck back on track, and try to get things back in order. Someone keeps mucking up with things, and it isn't Discordia. I am hoping that by fulfilling some more of these prophecies the balance will sway back to where it needs to be. "  
"I really hate not knowing. "  
"I know, and that is why. If you knew what was about to happen, you could have tried to stop us. Now that it is in motion, you need to trust me. I looked at the options, and I found a balance. "  
With a sigh Fatima nodded slowly, " fine. i will trust in you. "

In a very particular castle in Scotland, on a brisk Friday morning Amelia Bones climbed the steps to go speak with the assistant headmistress. She was determined to ask some very interesting questions, based on the evidence of things she had received so far, but would have to be careful not to make this seem like an interrogation.  
"Amelia ?"  
Said woman turned around and saw just the person she was looking for heading to the same office where she had hoped to find her.  
" Minerva, so good to see you, " she said warmly and truthfully.  
" It is good to see you as well, " the elderly woman said and stepped in stride with her companion as they made their way to the office. " What is it I can do for you ?"  
"Ah, well there is a story behind this that I really cannot disclose all the details at the moment, so please bear with me. " Once both were seated and with a cup of tea she continued, " as much as you know me, and my job, I do not want this to feel like or be an interrogation. It may turn out to feel that way, and for that i want to apologize ahead of time, " she take taking a sip of tea.  
" I understand, you have a brusque way sometimes, and i will answer as much as I can. Did something happen to one of the students ?"  
"No, " she said then paused, " actually, yes. A lot has happened to one of the students starting this year. No not Susan, she is ready as can be, and bursting with excitement at the idea of finally getting to come to school. " The woman chucked at the thought of her niece and then sobered up with a deep breath. " Minerva, who makes out the letters for the students ? The first year students ?"  
"The Hogwarts Roster Book, " she said with a nod and questioning look.  
" Do you review the envelopes of those letters before they are sent out ?"  
"Only those for the Muggleborns, and those I sort out and have a few other teachers help me speak with the families about their children coming here, " she said calmly.  
" Did you view the address of Harry Potter's envelope ?"  
"No, it never came across my desk, " she said her face turning white as worst case scenarios played in her mind about those horrid people and what they may have done to him.  
" To your knowledge did anyone oversee Harry's letter being delivered to him ?"  
"Albus said he would see it done personally. Why are you asking this ? Has something happened to Harry ?" Minerva was absolutely terrified now of what could be going on.  
" Calm yourself Minerva, Harry is just fine. My next question is, when do the letters stop going out for this school year ?" she leaned forwards to set the cup upon a small table.  
" Letters will stop next week, though if a child is a late bloomer an emergency letter would go out immediately. "  
"As soon as it is found out the child has magical potential ?" she asked and received a nod in the affirmative.  
" Amelia, if i may be so forwards with you, what is this all about ?" the Scottish woman asked being very concerned about her school and where this was all going.  
" Minerva, you know I hate asking people to take oaths, but if you really want to know then i will have to have you take one. I can tell you that you are not in trouble, but Albus is at the moment. In fact where is he ?"  
"He left for his month trip to the continent for the ICW meeting on the thirtieth of July. He wont be back until the morning of September first, which I told him is not enough time to go over any changes that need to be made, but he always assures me that things will be just fine, " she huffed. " I'll take any oath you want me to Amy. You know that this school and the children come first to me, so let's get to the heart of the matter and fix it. If he wont be here to get things straight and fix issues then in his absence it is my duty to see it done, even if he doesn't like it. Since the head of the DMLE is asking for it as well, how can I say no ?" she said with a conspiratorial tone.  
" Brushed off your suggestions again has he ?" to which a very curt nod was given. " Well then, before we get to oaths, let's go see this roster, because i have a new magical ward, and he has yet to get his letter. " She nodded at the older woman's shock, " oh indeed. So i am wondering if there might be a problem with the letters going out. I am also thinking that we may need to stop letting the letters for all students go out, and instead have a teacher visit each home. "  
"That would take us ages, " Minerva replied as she pulled out a set of keys from a drawer. " I even told Albus that this year we will need to start looking into getting more staff, since the number of children are going to grow each year. "  
"What was his response ?" she inquired as they left the office on a new walk.  
" That i should not worry about such things, and that it will all work out. That when we need new teachers he will hire then, but not before. " The woman huffed as she walked thinking about how she had been brushed off on that point countless times before.

The two walked in silence until they reached a rather old looking door, covered by a non-magical tapestry of an English garden in bloom.  
" Here we are, " she said unlocking and opening the door.  
" Do you check this room often ?"  
"I haven't a need to, " but the next words died on her lips as they looked at the mess in the room.

A pile of shredded envelopes and letters was being made near a fireplace, that was being fueled by such items. Three house elves worked diligently at taking each letter filled envelope and either shredding it, or handing it to an owl, depending on the name of recipient. For all their work keeping up with the letters that were being redone over and over again by the school roster which was desperate to have letters go out, the elves kept at their never ending job.

" Stop !" Minerva said as she ran into the room, once her brain had processed just what she was seeing here. " What on earth do you think you are doing !?"

The elves stopped but for a moment to see who was commanding them, and then unspoken two began back at their job, while the third stepped forwards to talk to the two women. He was an exhausted looking creature, panting for breath, and filthy from the soot and paper fragments that had gotten stuck to his filthy uniform.  
" We be making sure that only the one needed come, assistant headmistress, " the little thing managed to pant out.  
" Who gave you these orders ?" Amelia asked as she noticed a small pile of owl bones and feathers in one corner.  
" Headmaster gives us the orders. He be saying that only the worthy can come, and not to let any in, not on his list, " he responded slowly getting his breath back.

The two women looked at one another and both took deep breaths trying to keep their cool at this information.  
" Just how long have you been doing this duty for the headmaster ?" the eldest woman asked coolly, after all it was not the fault of the elf for following bad orders.  
" We be doing this for, " he stopped and began ticking years off in his head and on his fingers, every so often touching a ragged ear. " We be doing this for twenty-six years. Headmaster be swapping us out every few days to get rest. "  
"Well you are to stop doing this. Every letter from here on must go out !" Minerva said grabbing a letter before an elf could and handing it to an owl, that greedily took it and shot out of there as fast as possible.  
" But we can no be stopping, " the little one wailed. " It was order of headmaster of Hogwarts, and we can no go against his orders. "  
"As the headmaster is not here, that makes me in charge of this school. i hold the title when he is not here and so I order you to let these letters be sent, or so help me, i will be giving you each full sets of clothes !" The transfiguration professor was more livid than Amelia had ever recalled seeing her, even when dealing with the marauders.  
Her shouted demand had the desired effect on the three elves who stopped dead in their tracks and looked at her with their saucer sized eyes in terror. With the pause in destruction the letters did as they were meant to do, once sealed it rose up and an owl took it in beak and flew out the window.  
" As the person in charge of Hogwarts I demand you clean up this room, and that no elves shall do more than clean this room. IF any elf dare go against this law of the school, may Hogwarts herself gift the elf with a full set of dress clothes, shiny and new. " the three elves threw themselves at the witch's feet all crying out for mercy.  
Somewhere deep within the school a bell chimed nine times. The sound rang through the entire castle, and with each chime a pulse of magic. This caused the three to stop their begging, and sit on the floor glancing at the letters and the mess. As the final chime began to fade they hastily got to their feet and began cleaning the whole room from ceiling to floor.  
" Minerva ? What what that chime just now ?" Amy asked picking her monocle back up from her breast and placing it back on her face.  
" I believe that Hogwarts has agreed with my law, and made it so. This means, if i am correct, Albus will never again be able to make such an order as the school itself will not allow it. " Smugly she smiled, " if only it were that easy to get the rest of what i want done, but this is a good start. "  
"No wonder he didn't think he would need more teachers, he was controlling the number of students, " the younger woman said with a shake of her head. " The founders would have their own brand of justice for him i am certain. While this is damming evidence, only the school board could take issue with this. "  
"Yes, " the Scottish woman's lips went into a pinched thin line, " and we don't want them replacing him with their own choice right now. The last thing we need is for them to choose some pompous figurehead, or worse a blood purist. For now, i will not say anything, but, " and here the woman was drawn up short as she suddenly noticed the growing stack of muggleborn letters that were going to need someone to deliver.  
" I am so sorry Minerva, but it seems there are going to be a great many new students this year. Since the headmaster is currently away, the duty will fall to you to make certain you have enough teaching staff, " she smiled devilishly. " While I know that this is a lot of people to visit, especially for the small number of staff that volunteer for this task, I think i would like to help out. "  
"You want to visit new students ?" the other woman blinked somewhat stunned, " but you have so much work yourself don't you ?"  
"I have the ability to delegate a great deal of my work to others whom I trust to get it done right the first time. " This time her smile was warm and genuinely happy, " while i am wanting to head to the ICW and strangle that man with his own beard right now, the idea of him coming back to a much larger first year class sounds so much better. You of course will have to share with me what his face looks like when the large number come through the doors for the sorting. "  
"Oh that will be quite the face I am sure, however what am I supposed to do for teachers ? With this number of students the school will need more teachers, " she was still smiling at the thought of this sweet revenge.  
" First, we find out how many of these students will be joining us, and then I will help with teachers. I will even go so far as to promise you an Auror to teach upper years Defense Against the Dark Arts. I have a few who are close to retire, but I think they would prefer teaching over a desk job for the final bit of the job. Help them relax from field to civilian life again, " she smiled.  
" How can I afford to say no to that offer, " she smiled. " Do you have any other questions for me, or would you like to help me start sorting these letters by region and city ?"  
"Let's get an elf to sort them, and while they do that you can explain to me how you explain things to the parents. Though I may ask a muggle parent that I know to help me explain things to them as well, " she said as they began the trek back to the office.

For the Granger household Friday had been quite the bit of messy fun in the kitchen all day. Baking biscuits, scones, cakes, and even a number of small tarts had been the day's reward. While some of the items were a bit on the ' cosmetically challenged ' side, they still tasted heavenly by all who tried them.  
Hermione didn't know if she had ever seen Harry cook in the last go round, but she was amazed at his ability in the kitchen. Her mother on the other hand was thrilled to have someone else to work at her own speed with, and to also help Dudley and Hermione begin to understand the basics.  
This was one thing Harry had a good lead on her in skills, so noted when a soft ping was heard and the skill was awarded of Cooking: Basic, where as Harry's skill bar had barely moved in his Cooking: Specialty, though he was getting awful close to the Mastery level.

It wasn't until after Hermione knew her parents had both gone to bed that she set the world on pause. Tossing on her bathrobe she went to Harry's room and knocked on the door.  
" Come in, " was the reply.  
" We need to talk, " she started as she moved in and sat with him on the bed.  
" What about ?"  
"The shopping trip, " she looked at him confused as to why he would think it would be anything else.  
" I thought it would be quite simple. Mrs. Bones comes and gets us all, we learn to use the Floo, and we go get Dudley's things along with our flying leathers, and maybe some more books. What else is there to talk about with it ?"  
"Well, first off we may have to go to the bank. If we do I think I might ask to take their ancestry test, since seeing you get yours done, though we don't know what the results are, I have been rather curious about my own. I mean spending the day cooking things from that cookbook, and knowing that they are Gram's favorites, it got me thinking. "  
"You thinking !? Sound the alarms !" he laughed as she took his pillow and hit him with it.  
" Prat, " she said with a grin. " I'm just saying it got me wondering, what if I am from a line of squib ?"  
"It might explain some things, but it doesn't change who you are. I mean you are the brightest witch of her age, even more so since you are going to know all the assignments ahead of time, and everything that is on the tests. "  
"You'll still love me, even if I am related to some horrid dark family ?" she shifted nervously.  
" Hermione, " he said taking both her hands in his own. " You are my best friend, and soul mate, and no matter who you are related to will change who you are. So yes, I'll still love you, even if that happens. I mean do you like me less after finding out about my relatives ?"  
"Of course not !"  
"So don't worry about it. You are you, no matter what your family tree looks like, " he said taking her in for a gentle hug. " Now go to bed. I actually want to go shopping tomorrow, and I want to see the look on my cousin's face when he sees, well, everything. "  
"Alright, " she said getting up and heading for the door. " Thanks for that talk Harry, I needed it. "  
"Anytime, " he smiled back as she left him to drift to sleep.

Saturday morning was a whirlwind of activity as the kids quickly devoured their breakfasts and took their potions without any trouble. It was obvious to everyone that Dudley had begun to lose some weight as he actually had to tighten his belt another notch, and this was a happy surprise to him.

At half past nine the Floo activated and Amelia stepped out to see three children poised and ready to go.  
" Eager are we ?" she laughed at the three.  
" Yes !" they chorused.  
" I can't wait to show my cousin the alley !" Harry added quickly.  
"Oh and we have some questions for you about school supplies, " Hermione added breaking out her trusty notebook.  
" Well then as we wait for your parents to join us, let's see if I can answer some of your questions. " Taking a comfy armchair as her seat and motioned for her to begin.  
" Well we know that the school wants us to get parchment for assignments, but would it be alright if we used notebooks like this to take our notes in ?" she offered an empty pad to her to look at, with the metal spiral down the side.  
Casually she looked over the pad, and nodded.  
" I see no reason that there would be an issue, but I can ask the assistant Headmistress to be certain about that. "  
"Fair enough. Please take that with you to show her, because if we can then we'd like to get more of them before we head off to school. The next question has to do with choice in writing implement. " She glanced to the boys who merely nodded to her to continue with it. " Actually the three of us are certain this will go for anyone not raised in a magical home, none of us have used feather quills and ink pots. So frankly all of our penmanship is going to be far behind anyone who was magically raised. " Amelia nodded, it had occurred to her that this could be an issue for some, but never gave it much thought in the grand scheme of it all.  
" My writing is not very clean to begin with, " Harry said sheepishly.  
" Nor mine, " Dudley chimed in as well. " So the idea of learning how to use something new, well, I don't know if I'd be able to read my own writing. "  
"I have very clean penmanship, but even I am a bit nervous of how to write with a quill and ink. So again, could we bring mundane pens and mechanical pencils ? Also, instead of quill and ink for the assignments on parchment, would we be able to use calligraphy pens instead ?"  
At this Hermione brought out a bit of parchment and said pen and wrote her name neatly in the calligraphy ink, and then again with just a standard ball point pen. Handing the implements and parchment over they waited as the elder woman looked over the items in her hand.  
" Once more, I personally see no issue with this, but to be certain I will go and talk with Minerva about this. Frankly to me, this all seems like a better method. The notebooks would have been a boon in school for me, pages of parchment get misplaced rather easily, " she chuckled.

Before more questions could be asked the two Granger adults bustled into the room. Then after the round of greetings it was the explanation of how to use the Floo.  
" It is really quite simple, and with your connection even more simple. Your Floo only goes to the Ossuary, the name of my family home. " Taking Dan by the hand she led him to stand in the fireplace, and smiled at him. " Now then to activate the transportation magic you must first state quite clearly, your destination. In this case, The Ossuary, and then throw the Floo Powder at your feet. Now it is best to wait until you come to a stop before trying to exit, but bend your knees just a bit, and keep your legs shoulder width apart, this will help you keep your balance. Many a first time end up on their faces, because there is the urge to tense up, because until you get used to it, the sensation can be a bit disorienting.  
" Since you are only hooked up to my home, if you do not state the name clearly you will not be sent to another place. So go ahead Dan, as you have seen me use this before. "  
He nodded before he clearly stated his destination and threw down the powder, only to be enveloped in a green flame and then vanish. Next up was Dudley, and it took him a few tried to state the name clearly, but you could see the excitement written on his face when the flames came.  
" Oh he's going to leave the fireplace like a speeding bullet, " Amelia chuckled. " Don't worry though, " I had a feeling at least one of you would have issue, so there are cushioning charms to stop you from being injured. Not that I told your husband that, " she said with a grin to Emma. " I did owe him for that crack he made when we had the private parent's meeting. "  
"Oh he'll learn not to mess with you after that I am sure, if not he'll try to get even. " Emma then went next, speaking quite clearly.  
Hermione went next, and then Harry, whom had a feeling of dread as he stepped into the fireplace.  
" Don't worry Harry, it is perfectly safe. Now relax your body, right now you are far too tense. " She placed a hand on his shoulder, " close your eyes if that will help. Now bend the knees, " she said as she removed her hand.  
" The Ossuary, " he intoned as clearly as he could. The feel of the warm flames washed over him with a blast of air, and then he felt the impart of his landing.  
Opening his eyes cautiously he saw that he had indeed arrived in one piece. So with a grin he went to stride forwards only to trip on the lip of the fireplace. Thankfully Dan was able to catch him and help keep him upright, though his face was already red from embarrassment.  
" Thanks Dan, " he said sheepishly.  
" Anytime Harry, " he chuckled.  
Amelia quickly returned to her own home and smiled at the group. She was very happy to see that Susan and Hannah were already talking with Dudley and Hermione. Emma was looking at everything including the smiling portraits in shock.  
The room itself was quite grand, and decadently furnished by modern standards, even though it was obvious that everything here had been in the family for generations.

It had been years since the house had so many happy lively people in it, and this caused her eyes to mist up a bit. Feigning cleaning her monocle she blinked a few times to get the feeling to pass before once more looking over the people assembled in her main living room.

" Now then, " she called out getting the attention of everyone. " So we are all on the same page, the place we are going to through the Floo is The Leaky Cauldron. Please make certain you say it correctly and clearly. If you make a mistake and end up elsewhere, just sit still and I will come get you. " Looking among the group she realized that Sue and Hanna had yet to meet Harry who was still looking embarrassed.  
" To make things simple on all of us this will be the order we will go in ; Dan, Emma, Hermione, Susan, Hannah, Dudley, Harry, and then myself. " The two witches blinked and moved with the two muggleborn closer to the main group.  
" Sorry for not introducing ourselves right away, " Sue said looking at the dark haired boy. " I'm Susan, and this is my best friend Hannah. " She extended her hand to him.  
" Hi Susan, hi Hannah. I'm Harry Potter, " he said waiting for the commotion he had last go around.  
" Really ?" Hannah said quietly but skeptically. " Everything I've read says that Harry Potter has a scar on his forehead. "  
"I do, " he said confused by their reaction. Using a hand to lift his unruly hair he felt that the unmistakable raise of the scar was gone. The two girls moved in closer and looked.  
" Oh you do have it !" Susan said as the two pulled back, " what we have read said it was this mark that stands out. Your scar is barely even there. That has to be nice for avoiding fan girls. "  
"I have fan girls ?"  
"A whole club actually, " Hannah said. " They write monthly. Haven't you gotten any of their letters ?" she asked confusedly.  
" First letter from the magical world I ever got was my Hogwarts letter, " he said honestly to them both as he shook their hands.  
" Auntie ?" Susan asked as she looked to her guardian.  
" It is being dealt with as we speak. The goblins have tracked where all of his mail over the years have gone. Once they get it all they have to go through it to make certain there is nothing harmful there, and then it will be slowly delivered to Harry so as not to overwhelm him. Now I expect both of you to behave yourselves as we shop, and not become fan girls yourselves. This is to be a nice peaceful trip without hordes of witches flocking to us causing issues.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Thank you all for sticking with me, and again sorry for basic spelling/grammar/plot issues... this is a 1st draft and i am taking notes on things you are all catching to fix once I complete this and go go back through and flesh it out a bit more and clean it up.  
Yes there will be more gamer framework, especially once they hit school, i must admit tho i did kind of misplace my notebook on story info... so i I have a page of what i added here, and once i find that dang notebook i will really be back in business. One thing i am planning for are game upgrades, glitches, and the ever dreaded rollback... not like i can do a daily login bonus for him since he is living it...  
Harry does have access to all of his memories, they are ' locked ' so he can take them year by year at a time of his choosing. I tried to explain why that is here, and i hope it makes sense.  
Feel free to give me some ideas as well : ) This story is not set in stone, and i have a very flexible skeleton. If i use your idea i will give you a thanks in my notes too : )  
I know this story isn't for everyone, but i am glad to see so many of you are amused by it. Thanks for joining me on this wold ride ! again feel free to point out if i made any glaring mistakes, I am using a site that has a calendar time line and i am trying to stick with that, as well as some of the other resources out there.  
Until next time ENJOY ! ( and i may time hop to get the group to school faster... )

Once everyone was safe within the Leaky Cauldron Harry paused the world.

" Harry ?" his soul mate asked confused as to the reason.  
" I wanted to look at some things, and some people here. I mean not so much the people, because they either love me or hate me, but even with my mind the way it is, I need to start looking at things. I mean I saw how I was last time, I just went along and while I had some ideas, " he shrugged as he looked about the room and the patrons therein.  
"Well you did try to take on twenty three years of memories in a single night. Ambitious, and foolhardy to say the least of it. The trauma of all those years hitting your brain and body at once, " she shuddered.  
" Yeah, my mind is still sorting it all out. Wish I hadn't done it, but I wont be doing anything like that again, " he grinned. " I'll have to find other daft things to do. "  
"Prat, " she replied rolling her eyes at him with crossed arms.  
" Well then, let's look about an examine things, never know what might come in handy, " he said turning his gaze onto his cousin.  
" You want to see how he's changed ? Not a bad idea, " she followed his example and together they examined Dudley.

 **Dudley Dursley – Currently being fostered with his cousin by the Granger family, he is also coming to terms that he is a wizard and was bewitched to hate his cousin. After everything he has done to his cousin in the past he really want to make up for it, and doesn't want to be remembered as a bully. He is also dealing with the fact that he caused a great deal of harm to many other kids in his classes with his friends. The main goals in his life are to be a better cousin, a better student, and just an all around better person. Since meeting two new witches and chatting with them, he thinks he may really like it in the wizarding world, and he thinks he might like Susan Bones.**

" Oh my, " Hermione said with a grin. " He has changed hasn't he ?"  
"Yeah quite a bit, " Harry said feeling a bit embarrassed that he now knew his cousin had a growing crush, perhaps even before the boy himself figured it out.  
" Madame Bones next ?" she asked trying to get his attention off of his discomfort, and received a nod.

 **Amelia Bones – A stern woman who holds a family seat on the Wizengamot, as well as the head of the Department For Magical Law Enforcement. While the world sees her as stern, to friends and family she is warm, caring, and very overprotective. Since the death of her brother and wife she has taken care of their daughter, Susan, raising her as if she were her own. However she does regret that her job takes her away for long hours, and does not allow for many holidays with her niece. It does make her happy that she has a very close friend in Hannah Abbott, and is also hoping that the two girls with become fast friends with her three new magical charges. At the current moment Amelia is having her own plots against the grand manipulator, and has begun plans to help Hogwarts starting this very year. To those reading this, the fact of this will become very evident shortly, and those of us watching are in high hopes that this will make this go round far more fun and enjoyable for you.**

 **INCOMING MESSAGE**  
 **We on staff in the Games Department thank you for becoming our first couple on mission. We do hope that you enjoy what you learn through examining people, creatures, and items. However that being said as much as we could give you vital information we have been blocked from doing so. ( sorry ) While we cannot give you major game information, um, life information, we can give hints. While this one is quite overt, in order to trigger this message, the other may not be so blatant.**  
 **Also we send a hearty cheer of congratulations for the major ripples you have sent out so far. These changes of course do make some of that happened in your last time through obsolete, however everything you have previously lived through may hold vital clues and tricks on how to deal with situations. So we also send you the information that we have locked you from viewing previous life memories until after you arrive at school. Truly we are sorry for the inconvenience we know this poses, however Jacob had this to say ( verbatim ) , " What kind of moron are you !? Reliving two painful past childhoods and a year of school in one go !? You are lucky you didn't fry all of your neural pathways from the instant shock of trauma to your min and body ! I am personally locking you both out of those parts until I am certain your brain has fully recovered, and trust me it is going by faster than it should be thanks to your magic and the occlumency. "**  
 **Jacob then huffed out of our office after putting in the lock out codes. In order to help you both out we have added a fix for some issues that would normally take more time, such as the potion regiment. No one wants to take a daily med if they don't have to, so we are going to give the two of you and Dudley a boost on how well they work. In fact you may have already noticed this take effect, and it will stay on until you head off for school, but this is a one time boost only. Don't expect it to stay on because that might draw more attention to you both.**

 **Good luck, and Give ' em hell !**

 **The Gamer Department**

" Well, " Harry said as the two looked at one another from the message. " So that happened. "  
"A triggered event, interesting. Also good to know that they can drop us hints and messages, " she said nodding thoughtfully.  
" Yeah that is nice to know. Kinda mad at myself now too, for doing what I did. First thing I do when I get back is to run things like I know what I am doing, but I really don't, " he said looking to her.  
" Harry, no one knows what they are really doing in life. We all just make choices and then have to learn to live with them. Thanks to you we get the chance to try again, and when our minds are ready force yet more information into them. "  
"Yeah only this time, only a year at a time, " he said. " As much as it would be good to have all of that information on hand, if we were to start casting spells learned in sixth year we would really stand out. "  
"Well said Harry, " she beamed at him. " As they said much of the information is now pretty much moot, but it still might hold very useful information. So Once we get settled in at school, then we can plan on when to view the next one. "  
"I'd like to get through a few years of knowledge before Christmas. I mean we have already caused some major changes, and if we know what else happened we might be able to ' find ' some clues to set people checking out other things if there were other issues like Dud's parents. "  
"Well let's say that depending on how traumatic year two was, we can see about doing year three as well or hold off on it if we need more time. I'd prefer if we didn't look at any memories until October, since you already overloaded yourself once, but we shall see how things turn out at school first and then we can talk about it ? Maybe I do year two first and see how bad it really is, then let you do it if it isn't so bad ?"  
"I dunno about you going first, but yeah, we can talk about it later. Right now we should focus on everything here around us, and how awesome we are going to look in flying leathers, " he said with a wide toothy grin.  
" Silly fly-boy, " she said and then resumed things.

Dudley was looking about at everything not really certain about the rather old tavern, but was surprised when Susan grabbed his hand and began leading him to the entrance of the alley.  
As Amelia tapped the code for the alley everyone kept an eye on Dudley to see his reaction to seeing it all for the first time. No one was disappointed with his bug-eyed fish mouthed impression of shock, that quickly changed into a big grin of embarrassment as he heard the group laugh at him in jest.

" Quite a sight isn't it ?" Harry asked him.  
" Yeah, never thought it would be this amazing, " he said still fixated on the moving signs, and the images moving on the fliers. " Do they all do that ?"  
"Move ? Yes, they do, " Susan replied cheerily. " Sometimes when there is a new one people will crowd around for a few minutes to see everything that it does, especially new products. "  
The three girls giggled at his reactions to everything, but poor Dudley was just blown away that anyone could hate all of this stuff. This made him yet even more confused about his own parents, but he decided to shake it off for now, and think on that later.

Harry began heading forwards down the street when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder, looking back he saw Madame bones looking down at him.  
" Where do you think you are going ?" she asked curiously.  
" To the bank, to get money to pay for Dudley's things. " It was confusing as to why she would even ask him that, it wasn't like his cousin had any money to spend here and even if he did there would need to be an exchange from pounds to galleons.  
" Ah, I see. " The woman smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, " you don't need to worry about that. I am paying for him. The Grangers are in charge of taking care of the three of you, " she said also indicating Hermione, " in the muggle world. I am in charge of seeing to your needs on this side. It had skipped my mind that you might think you needed to pay for your cousin, however it is the guardian's job to do so. As such I have already reimbursed the Grangers for Hermione's magical school supplies, and have put money back into your trust for the supplies you bought as well, not for the extra library the two of you got your hands on, but the actual list of school things. "  
"Do the other muggle kids have magical guardians that pay for things too ?" Dudley asked very curious on how this whole thing worked.  
" Sadly no. It is a very old system, and after the last war, many of the families that used to sponsor the muggleborn with their school supplies, " she wiped a tear forming from her eye behind the monocle. " Sadly many of those families were killed. As of this moment the ministry is still trying to get those family vaults that have sat dormant all these years to be emptied into their coffers, but the goblins do believe that many squib lines will be coming back, and if they do the test at the bank, might find the legal heirs of those vaults and pass them onto the children at their age of majority. "  
"I think I may have to do that then, " the bushy haired girl stated plainly. " I had no idea that they could do that, and I bet most if not all muggleborns don't know about it either, " she stated.  
" Madame Bones ?" Harry said drawing her attention to him, " is there a Gringotts bank branch office near Hogwarts ? Just in case I need to put money back or get more money out ?"  
"No, the goblins only have a bank in Diagon Alley within England. I think there is one branch office that is shared for Ireland and Scotland, " she replied. " Goblins aren't given the same rights as witches and wizards, something the older generation has been fighting to keep in place. In fact as you will learn they are considered creatures, as are centaurs and a number of other intelligent races. "  
"Barbaric, " Dan barked angrily. " Doubt your magical law system sees us any better then ?"  
"Sadly, " she said with a cough, " no. Many of us have worked to protect and change laws to keep the non-magical side safe, but some people just think that they are better because of their blood, and they have no idea the things that exist in your world. At this point to most of them it would be a completely different world. "

The group then wandered into the Olivanders ' Wands, mulling over the thoughts of how strange both sides of the coin truly were at this point.  
" Well Mr. Hellstrom, I am glad we were finally able to fit you with a wand, " the shopkeeper said taking a handkerchief to his brow. " Thank you for your patronage and good luck with your schooling, " the man said to a tanned dark haired boy in his teens, after he passed over the coin for the purchase.  
" Thank you Sir, " he said and left the shop with a grin.  
Harry paused the world after the boy left the store, and looked at his best friend.  
" I don't recall him at school, do you ?"  
"No, and Harry, look at the shop, " she said still looking at the no longer dusty and cluttered shelves.

True enough as he looked about, the shop was no longer the cluttered mess it had been before. Now the place was tidy by comparison. While there were still some wand boxes scattered on the main counter, there were no longer stacks of them all over the aisles as there had been.

 **Garrick Olivander – Presently rather exhausted by the number of people who have come in recently getting their first wands. He is happy at the fact that there are so many new students, but is also very curious why some of them did not start their magical school at age eleven. Since taking over the family business he has narrowed down the cores that he personally chooses to work with to what he feels are the three best ; Unicorn hair, Dragon Heartstring, and Phoenix Feathers.**

"So looks like that is one big ripple right there, " she said looking at the green eyed boy.  
" Yeah, more students. Going to be harder to keep track of me in a crowd that size, " he grinned, " especially since I wont have the famous scar of glasses by the time we go. "  
"Well don't think I am going to let you out of my sight for long. With all that we managed to get up to in our fist year with such a small number, it will be near chaos this time around. "  
"Right, well, sorry for the abrupt pause, I just was curious if you had seen that boy in our last go round. Now back to living life !" and with that said he restarted things once more.

" How can I help the group of you today ?" Garrick said looking over the whole group with a tired smile.  
" Garrick, I would like to introduce to you, Dudley Dursley. This year he is starting Hogwarts, and will be needing a wand, and like the others here a holster, " she looked at the young boy before her. " They strap to your arm, and this way your wand is always at the ready, as well as not going to be broken by sticking it in your back pocket or some such other place. "  
"So many new students this year, " he said wistfully. " Now I know how my father felt back in the day, busy as can be selling wands left and right, " he called out from the stacks as the tape measure began to whiz about the pudgy boy.  
" Yes, well it is good to see that there will be so many new faces in the coming years, " Amelia said as she batted the pesky measure away from the lad. " It does appear that you will be quite busy trying to restock the shelves this year. "  
"Oh yes, " he said returning with a haphazard pile of wand boxes. " I am actually quite giddy with the thought of being able to better organize the shop, as well as the crafting I shall get to do. " Once the boxes were on the counter he motioned for the young boy to step forward, " come forwards. Now then, if this row are some wands my father made, as well as those I made. I would like you to close your eyes and reach for a box that you think might be your wand. "  
Since this was different from how the rest of them had gotten their wands before they all watched closely. Taking a deep breath Dudley closed his eyes and then reached out his hand to a seemingly random box.  
" Don't open your eyes yet, choose another one, and then a third. I am trying to see what type of wand you might need, " he looked at the group. " I am trying to narrow things down a bit, can't spend hours on one child anymore, " he grinned looking at Harry.  
For all his knowledge and growth that he was doing, he still couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed and blush at this.  
" Ah I see, " Garrick then said as he looked into each of the boxes. " All three are my father's creations, and none of them contain the cores I prefer to work with. Very interesting young man. Now we shall start with the three you pulled, and then we shall go from there and I will try to find you the prefect wand. "  
The chaos of trying wands then began, lights, flames, confetti, rotten egg smell, vases exploding, among a variety of other obnoxious things. The wand maker was not put off by any of these, but simply waved his own wand to set things to right.  
" Well then, shall we try number twenty and hope for the best ?" he grinned handing another wand to a now much more cautious cousin.  
" Lucky number twenty ?" He said taking a breath and looking at the wand intently before even beginning to reach for it. " I think this is the one, I have a really good feeling about it. "  
That said, and an eyebrow raise from the son of the wand's crafter, he reached out and took the wand, and warm light enveloping the boy and his new item.  
" How does it feel ?" the elder asked.  
" It feels warm, and like it had always been waiting for me, " Dudley said with a grin as he gave the wand a firm swish, causing an empty pitcher to fill with water.  
" Ah very good, " he replied handing the wand holster to the boy. " Your wand is something a bit special. My father, in all his years selling wands, has only ever sold three with the wood yours is. What you have is a Fir wand containing the hair of a mermaid, nine and a half inches, and very sturdy. This wand will do you quite well. "

Dudley stared at the fine wood with carvings engraved in it like waves, and a small shell at the very base of the handle. This was his wand. He, Dudley Dursley was going to go learn magic, at a magic school with his cousin. No longer was he ever going to be the bully, but instead to protect. This was his wand and he was going to do his best ever, and prove to himself and to his parents that magic was not wrong, and that he was not a freak like they had called his cousin.

Dudley was surprised and excited about everything, and that was infectious for all the kids. Even Hermione was surprised at herself being excited going into the Quidditch supply store. While Harry was more than excited about looking at the brooms, since he had the memories of flying from the last time through, he was excited about the prospect of flying again. While she was nervous about the idea, Dudley was down right skeptical that a broom would hold him at his current weight, making him even more determined to lose some of the pounds.  
The main reason for going into the store in the first place was to get flight goggles, which Susan and Hannah were rather upset at Amelia for buying for them. However while the store sold pads and gear, they told Dan that if they wanted some ridiculous flight costume they would have to go see madam Malkin. There was general laughter by the staff as they headed out.

" Well that grinds my gears, " Dan growled. " Costume indeed ! Didn't even let me explain what the whole thing was about, right arse !"  
"Dan !" Emma admonished, and Harry could now see where Hermione got that singular disapproving look from when he had cussed last go round.  
"Right, " Dan said, not paying attention to his own wife, he looked at the three kids he was caring for. " Onward to the clothing store ! We shall get you three kitted up properly for flying, and show that right bastard that this isn't some silly costume. To war !"  
The whole group watched Dan Granger stride with military purpose towards where he knew from his last visit the store he needed was. Emma for all her worth was shaking her head slowly with a deep sigh, and Amelia looked greatly amused.  
" I take it like is a rare occurrence for your husband ?" the older woman said with a grin.  
" Yes, " she paused, " well no. Dan was in the military, air force, to be precise. So when people talk poorly about military, the uniforms, the training, anything to do with it, it just gets him like this. Drives me crazy when we watch old war movies and he sits there criticizing things for not being right. He enjoys the movies, but he just can't stop himself, " she sighed deeply again. " We best catch up with him before he gets into too much trouble. "

Just like that the group began moving after the man on a mission, arriving quite a bit behind him. Photos were spread all over the main counter and he had the rapt attention of two of the younger staff as well as the owner herself who was looking over the every still non-magical images.  
" So you mean to tell me, that these things made of metal can fly ?"  
"Yes Ma'am, " he told the owner sharply, " and I have been lucky enough to fly one like what you see in the picture there. Granted the one I had was for fun, and not military purpose, but the idea is very similar to your brooms. You get up high enough and it gets cold, wind whipping in your face, and you are at the mercy of the elements and your skill with what you are flying. Now that man down the road at your sport supply dared to call these military flight leathers, a costume. He sent me down her4e laughing the whole time I was there, probably getting a laugh still, and Ma'am I want to make him choke on those guffaws and turn them to tears. " Glancing back he waved the three kids over, " we got the flight goggles from his shop. Now I want these three kitted up like the men and woman in the images, some spells to keep them warm, and dry of course, but I want to make wearing things like this popular. If he isn't willing to take the chance, perhaps you will be ? I can also get you images of other types of military flight uniforms, get you more options, but these are the common British ones. "

Malkin shooed the two girls from behind the counter to go and assist the customers while she gathered up the images and took a seat in an alcove with Dan. It was obvious to anyone that the two were in a very important meeting about what the images held.  
" Mum, " Hermione said getting her mother's attention. " You know you should sit, dad's going to be a while talking about the cut of this and that to her. With any luck we can get them made up today too. I'm sure once Hannah and Susan see them, they might also want some good flying gear ?" she asked looking at the two girls.  
" I'm very interested in seeing what he has in mind as well, " the magical guardian said as she kept one eye on the animated discussion that had a quill sketching away like it might catch fire.

Once more the tape measures were flying, and Dudley was stunned at just how fast it all moved. While they had been there for almost an hour as their measurements were taken and the orders filled, Dan has vanished with the woman into the back room.  
With packages shrunk down and stored in the two purses, the group sat to wait for Dan. Thankfully they didn't have to wait very long as a very happy Madame Malkin came bursting out of the back room, Dan in full world war one flight gear striding out behind her like he was walking onto a movie set.  
Audible gasps were heard around the shop by the women therein, after all nothing is better than a handsome, confident man in uniform, and Dan was proving that now.  
" Now time for you three, " the woman smiled almost madly as she motioned for the three kids with the Grangers to head with her. She did glance over her shoulder at the other two girls, " Madame Bones, would you also like to bring the girls with you ? I can get you a set of these right now as well. "  
"I think that is a very fine idea, " she said and took hold of the shoulders and walked with the two into the back workroom.  
Once she had each person on a particular spot the woman began chanting and waving her wand in a rhythmic form of dance through the air. Fabrics, leather, brass buttons, zippers, and so many other bits and bobs zoomed around the room. Shears were cutting things in midair as needle and threat zoomed through them before they could get too far.  
It was hard to tell where one should be looking as things flew about in some kind of dance, though it seemed to harry more like chaos. Scrap fabric began to litter the floor, and then it was banished to a crate off to the side.  
Before he could really wrap his head around just what was going on the woman stopped her chanting and movements and began to appraise her work on her living models.  
" Well, those really do look quite smart. I must say if the group of you walk down to the practice field in those I will have quite the orders coming in. " Malkin just grinned as a large mirror walked its way over so the group could see themselves.  
Hermione was in love with it instantly, while Harry stared at his own reflection cutting quite the figure in the flight leathers. Dudley was bouncing with excitement now at how awesome and authentic it all looked to him, and how it really was a perfect fit.  
As for the witches whom had never seen such outfits before, they were turning around and examining everything about them. Even Amelia was checking herself out in the mirror.  
" Mr. Granger explained everything to me about how muggle flew back in the first world war, and since he had also flown such a plane, was able to really explain to me what it was like. Seems it is rather close to broom flight, if a bit more unrefined in doing turns and such, but size and all that. " She grinned as she watched them look over her work, " now each of these has added padding on where you will sit on a broom, as well as heating and cooling charms to help with all types of weather, and a spell to keep them dry. "  
"You have really outdone yourself here, " Amelia said grinning as she continued to pose for herself in the mirror. " I feel like I could duel in these as well. "  
"Well, that is a compliment coming from you, " she chuckled. " Now kids if you wouldn't mind forming a group and striking a heroic pose for me ? I am going to take some pictures of you. Then I am going to change the colors to house colors, and take more. I think if this really takes off, then they might become new uniforms for the sport. Wouldn't that just wonderful ? Poor man down the street laughing at this, only to lose out big, " she grinned as she took the first of several pictures.  
" You are going to file this pattern so you are the only one ?" Hannah asked as she changed poses for the camera as the colors changed to Ravenclaw house colors.  
" Oh yes ! Better still Dan, that is, Mr. Granger, is going to be bringing me even more images of the different countries ' uniforms. We might be creating a whole line of flight gear, and even dueling uniforms. I have to see what else he brings me, but if they are anything like these I must say there might be more women taking an interest in Quidditch. "  
"How much do we owe you for these ?" Amelia asked as she got out her purse watching the house colors shift yet again, and the kids having fun making victory poses and acting like they were just heading off to take flight.  
" Oh you get these ones for free. I need the people, especially the kids, to see them and advertise. I will get these pictures in the paper for the day after they have their first flight lessons. " She grinned happily as she watched the clothes revert to their normal colors once more, " and I am going to have a contract drawn up with Mr. Granger as he will have earned his share of profits from this. "  
"Well then, let's get those packed into the bags children, we don't need to be walking down the street in them just yet, " the monocled woman said with a grin, as the group obviously wanted to protest.  
" Flight lessons are going to be so awesome in these, " Susan said as she held the jacket and looked it over lovingly.  
" I can't wait either !" Hannah said sharing in her best friend's excitement, " they are so comfortable, and warm ! It'll be so nice to wear to watch the matches as well with the charms in them. "  
Eventually the two adults managed to get all of the new gear off the kids, and Dan, and added to their parcels.  
" Thank you, " Emma said to the owner of the store. " I feel a lot better knowing they wont freeze to death while flying, now all I have to worry about is crashes and falling. "  
"Don't worry yourself too much, the flight teacher is a very wonderful teacher. The kids don't go up too high on their first lessons, and they wont be allowed to try out for the team until second year, so there wont be any high speed crashes. " The woman said patting the mother's hand in reassurance.  
" Dan told me that you and he are going into business with this idea. After the kids head off for school, I'd like to have you over to look at all the pictures he has. Oh and you might enjoy watching a movie with us, " she said hoping to have yet another woman she could turn to for magical advice.  
" What is a movie ?" the woman asked very confusedly.  
" Well, simply put it is kind of like your moving pictures, but with sound and they last a long longer. That is the, " she paused not knowing how to explain it better. " Your images repeat after a short time. A movie is about an hour long or so, like watching a play, but from the comfort of your own home. Also since they can take cameras where they choose, there is more than just the stage. I guess you will have to see one to really understand as well, " she said giving up on it all.  
" I think I will have to take you up on that offer. I've never been into a muggle home before, so I might have many questions about things, if you do not mind answering ?"  
"Oh not at all ! Since the kids are entering the magical world I will have some questions of my own I am sure, if you don't mind answering those as well ?"

This time Hermione paused the world and grinned at her soul mate.  
" I am so happy that my parents are making friends with more magicals. They will be better able to understand and I wont have to feel like I am leaving them out of part of my life, " she confided happily.  
" I'm glad I have you and even Dudley this time around. Looks like we are going to have a lot of new people and possibly new friends this time. Maybe the castle wont feel so empty and ominous with that change. "  
"Oh I hope so ! I was just so excited !"  
"I know, " he grinned. " Let's get back to it though, we still have a bit to go yet. "  
With that once more the two restarted the world and found now that the ice really had been broken Hannah was finally chatting with the whole group and not hiding shyly behind her friend.

The next interesting thing that happened was when they stopped in to get Dudley an animal.  
" Now I know what the letter says you are allowed to have, " Amelia began to him, " but I want you to take a very careful look about and see if anything really feels like they might be the right fit for you. "  
"So they could take things other than a rat, owl, toad or cat ?" Dan asked puzzled.  
" Yes well they try to keep most first years from bringing kittens, as they need so much care and attention and it often cuts into them doing their actual work. Owls, rats and toads do not require the same amount of care. There are others that are low maintenance as well, but not as popular, in fact toads are not all that popular, but are the easiest to care for and cheapest of them all. A good starter pet if you will, " she said as she watched the kids wander about to play with the other animals.  
" Aren't Hannah and Susan getting pets today ?"  
"They got their wands and pets on their birthdays, it is a tradition we have in the Bones and Abbott families. They really can't use the wands, but they get used to keeping them with them, and keeping them clean. Good habits should always be taught early if they can be, " she said with a grin.

Dudley wandered about the store looking at all the animals. Owls were cool, but Harry had an owl, and he didn't want to have the same thing as his cousin. Cats really weren't his thing, and after dealing with Aunt Marge and Ripper, well dogs were out of the question in his book. Also the idea of having a rat when Hermione had a cat, that just seemed like asking for his pet to be eaten. Not that the cat would, but it wasn't worth the risk.  
It was surprising how many different animals were in what had on the outside appeared to be a small shop. They had large owls, and small songbirds, snakes, toads, frogs, cats, dogs, rats and mice, and so much more if you just kept looking.  
That was when he saw something in a small cage hidden in some shadows back by the rodent care section. The little black eyes looked at him and blinked rapidly as if surprised someone had even seen it.  
Cautiously he reached his hand out and offered it to the small animal to sniff. Just as cautiously the small hedgehog did sniff him, and then licked his finger.  
Very happy and gently he lifted the cage from the shelf and took it to show the adults. It was an average size, and healthy, and quite active as he moved back to the adults, obviously happy to be leaving the dark spot of the store.  
" I found my pet !" he announced happily as he came into view of the adults, and showed off the spiny creature.  
" I will have to let Minerva know you are bringing a rodent, but not a rat, " she said with a grin. " He does seem to like you quite a lot, " Amelia said happily. " Now it will be up to you to care for him, so you best get used to it now. "  
"I will ! I promise !" he said reaching a finger into the cage, where the little beast licked his finger again and then nuzzled it happily.

Thankfully there was no more excitement like the other shops and they finished quite quickly, other than the bookstore of course. It was actually kind of funny to Harry to watch his cousin beg to get a book all about dragons from the three adults. In all of his previous memories his overweight cousin had never been one for reading, and now here he was begging for an actual book. It really was amazing how things were changing.  
The final stop was to get some ice cream since everything had gone so very well.

That night before bed, both Harry and Hermione collected their Exp from completing various side quests while in the Alley. Neither could really wait to begin spending their points on the skill grid, but knew it would be best to hold off. Nothing here was going to attack them, they were still in what could be considered the prologue of the story.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N::: That time of year has come again National Novel Writing Month! I started this story last year for it, and will be continuing it :) New year, new challenge, new doc file :) so i am going for the goal of 50k in a month again, and just as always this is a 1st draft, i only have been running spell check... so there are probably some big errors in here. I wrote the 1st part while i was kind of tired...

Once i finish this entire story then i will be going back and fixing all those horrid errors and continuity issues. Thank you for kindly pointing some out to me... I have made not of them in my notebook, as well as scenes that I am not too happy with right now and need to be fleshed out more later. All I ask is that if you wish to criticize me and/or the story please keep it constructive. I am working on this to become a better writer, and with all of your help see my own faults in 1st draft writing so i know what to keep an eye out for when i write my original novel (still sitting on a back burner)

Thank you for all of your comments! Thank you for following and favoriting this as well, big boost to me and makes me want to do my best, but it is a bit scary as well because i hate to disappoint people. With luck the hubby with not end up in the hospital the rest of this year (knock on wood), so barring medical needs and illness I hope to be updating more often, and will be fairly frequently through the month of nov.

I hope you all ENJOY!

With her parents working Hermione did, what she did the last time through and took charge. Harry couldn't help but smile about it, her passion for learning and wanting to make sure that he had a better understanding this time through was also working wonders on Dudley. Frankly he had never seen his cousin interested in learning anything, but since it was magic and he had seen all the awesome things it could be used for, he wanted to be the best he could be.

"Hey look!" Dudley shouted as he looked up from the potions book he had been reading, "I found the one that has been helping me lose weight!"

"Really?" Hermione said as she set down her Astronomy book and wandered over to look over his shoulder, her eyes whipping back and forth as she read through what he was showing her. "Wow, that is it! Good find Dud!" She gave him a friendly hug, and he beamed. "That will be helpful later to learn how to brew. Something to use after Holidays if we eat too much," she grinned.

"Yeah, cause now that I am getting healthy I want to stay that way. Kind of worried I might end up ballooning back up, but now that I know where to find this, that makes me feel better. This book really has some good ones too, there is even one to help with if you start going bald," he said looking at her.

"Do you mind if I have a read after you are done?" she asked him.

"Only if you will help me with that astronomy star thing again. I am really not seeing the image with the connect the dots," he said scratching his head.

"Deal!" she beamed and went back to her own book.

Most days were fairly similar, filled with studying the class material and trying to understand just what they might be learning at school. While two of them knew what they would be getting in classwork, they tried to make certain that they went through not only their coursebooks, but some of the other materials they had gotten. Harry was amazed by all the things he was learning now, and felt he would be much better prepared for classes, and much more prepared for the long road ahead.

While the three studied, and generally stayed out of trouble, the ripples that they had started upon going to the bank were beginning to take more traction.

In the Ministry, the Head of the DMLE was making her own plans to turn things upside-down. She had been to the records office, and she had pulled a good one hundred files. Half of those files were what one could call 'big name' cases, or the files on death eater trials, the other half were smaller cases some petty some in the middle of the road. This of course was just the cover for her looking into the case file of one Sirius Black, the godfather of Harry Potter.

What she had found in Black's case file made her blood boil, because there was no case. No trial, they had taken the man and threw him away without due process. This made her very curious about the other files she had grabbed of Death Eaters, or supposed ones. Her predecessor had run a very poor ship it seemed as important questions were never asked of the people, and many were just carted off to prison to rot. She was going to have to do something about this, and somehow fix a wrong that not one person would care for, she was going to have to give Black a trial, a fair one. The real question was how to get the minister to sign off on her bringing him and several others out for questioning. Then it struck her, and she could not help but smirk at how she was going to get a good gathering of people to want her to give Black a trial, or in many of their eyes a second hearing.

In Hogwarts, Minerva was doing her best on short notice for teachers. While she knew that when he returned Albus was going to want to terminate the contracts she was setting up, but once he saw the very large number of new students he was not going to be able to do a thing.

The most difficult part of this whole thing was going to be getting the teens who should be graduating this year caught up with their class level, or trying to cram in the first years of schooling this year, and then have them come back and graduate a year late. As it was each class now had three teachers to handle the large influx. One teacher for sixth and seventh years, one for fourth and fifth, and one for first to third.

When she had spoken to the other house heads they seemed happy with the idea. Severus was almost giddy when she told him he would only have to teach the sixth and seventh years. It had been a rare moment, but then he had gone back and had narrowed his eyes at her and asked why she was doing this, and if she had had the Headmaster's OK. Granted she had tried to contact him, but had gotten the brush off, so she was honest with the other three about the situation. While she had not told them that the school roster had been tampered with, she had informed them of the rough estimated number of students, and that it was strange but a lot of older children and teens had been late bloomers. She was going to hold the information that she knew what he had done to the roster as blackmail, if just for a bit.

The notepads, pens and pencils, that had been brought up to her as being alright for the muggleborns to bring with seemed like a wonderful idea. Even to her it seemed many a student might stay more organized with such materials. While she knew many witches and wizards might not try something coming from the muggle world, she thought it might be a good idea to stock up on some of the items for herself. The most interesting thing to her were the special markers. Working with it and testing it out, and then transfiguring the tip, she was able to make it into an almost quill-like implement. Using the new tool she sent a letter to Amelia so she could inform to her wards that such things would be allowed, and to bring the markers to her and she would change the tips so that they would be a bit more like a quill so that they could work on the penmanship with them, as well to inform them that there would be a new class to work on that alone.

To that end she penned a letter to be copied and sent to every muggleborn student that if they wished to bring other forms of stationary, writing tools, and even art supplies that they may, and that there would be a room set up for them to use for art.

It was high time that some things were brought back to the school, and art was one of them. In her own years at Hogwarts as a student she had loved watching the people paint, and had even tried her hand at using transfiguration as a way to sculpt. True she would have to ask the elves to clean the room properly, and all of those windows to let in the natural light, but it would be nice to see the room full of people diligently working on their own art once more. If Albus had issue with that, then she would just let him know it was her own idea, and she would be in charge of keeping the peace in there.

Minerva felt younger than ever, and more exhausted than ever as the month passed. So many new teachers moving into the castle and setting up their rooms. Also reorganizing the placement of classes so that the children wouldn't have to run to make it on time any longer. Far too often children got lost, stuck on trick steps, or tripping and needing instead to go to the infirmary.

It was a very proud moment for her to say the least that all first and second year classes would be on the first floor of the castle, while third year electives would be moved onto the second floor. Obviously the astronomy class would not be able to be moved, nor would she be able to get that hack of a so-called seer to move her classroom either. A special set of rooms would be set aside for remedial classes, that even upper years could elect to take or even help out with in order to get the new older students caught up. The other thing that made her quite happy was the inclusion of a map on the back of their timetable to show where their classrooms were and on what floor.

The other thing that had to happen was getting more help in the infirmary as Poppy would be quite strapped if there was an outbreak of the measles or some other malady. Thankfully Amelia had said that she had just the woman and helper in mind, and that the woman was going to be the personal doctor for Harry Potter, and as she had said, "Having her there will make it easier on him if he needs something. The young man has been through the ringer, and it would be good for him since he wont have to explain things to a new person. I'm not sure how much he will want to speak about such things, but I have a few ideas from this whole thing that I would like to run by you personally at a later time, about how we handle child abuse and keeping all the children here safe, as well as when they go home."

Obviously the woman had a lot on her plate already, and it did not sound like it would ease up for her anytime soon. However Minerva felt the years almost melt off of her as the new teachers came to run ideas about how to make their topics more fun.

Amelia for all of her own plotting and planning had a brilliant thought and lined it all up so that the whole of it would fall neatly into her lap. Timing would be everything, and a lot of honeyed words, so with that in mind it was time to put it all into quick motion before anyone could stop it.

Friday, August the thirtieth, she walked casually as she could force herself to the minister's office with an obscene stack of folders. Upon arriving she noted that no one was waiting to see the spineless man, and his secretary was spelling her nails different colors.

"Is the minister in? I really need to talk to him about something very important," she said to the woman.

"Yeah, one moment," the woman said and then called the man to let him know she was there. "You can go right in"

"Thank you," she replied really hating the fact that the woman probably had some work that could be done, but was instead just lazing about. Taking a deep breath she let it out remembering that every department had their dead weight, and those that passed the galleon.

"Amelia!" The minister said as she entered and then his smile dropped as he saw the stack she was carrying in with her. "Um, what is all of that?"

"Cornelius," she began as the doors shut behind her. "Would you kindly put up the anti-eavesdrop spell and the like, this is going to be very important and you will not want any of this to get out."

A smile toyed at the corners of her mouth as she watched the man hurry to do so while she set the files down and began sorting them into several other piles. Once he was done he sat down and eyed each stack warily.

"If this is about more money for your department," he began but stopped when she shook her head.

"It is not about a budget increase minister. In fact what I have before you is a very serious matter that you can make right. When you took office, and I took the head of my department we were sadly left a rather large mess. This is just the tip of it I fear." Carefully she picked up a folder and pulled out the single piece of paper, then held folder in one hand and page in the other shoulder width apart. "Would you care to guess what this mess is?"

"A folder and a bit of parchment. Other than that, I am not certain what you are getting at here," he was starting to get a bit hot already being talked to as such.

"This is all that there is of this entire case file. The folder, and one hastily written, not even full page, of words. This travesty is not enough to hold a man in Azkaban, but that is where this man rests. There was never a trial," she said and watched the man's eyes bulge with the implications.

"There had to have been a trail if he was sent there. What does that page say?" he asked now very interested in what was going on.

"Before I tell you that," she said placing the page back into the folder and setting it on the top of the tallest stack, "let me explain what I have been up to." Waving her wand she poured herself a glass of water and took a small sip.

"This year is the year Harry potter is to start school at Hogwarts." The minister nodded, as so many knew that fact. "I decided to check on a number of random cases that had happened during the war and at its end. While that may seem odd, I figured that with Mr. Potter coming back there might be some bad blood out there, and it might do the ministry some good to run something in the paper to remember those times, and to show Mr. potter that justice was done for his parents and the attack on himself."

"That is a very good idea Amelia. Show the people that we are doing everything we can to keep them safe, but what has this to do with that file?" he was beginning to get anxious about the folder considering the time frame she was speaking of.

"I am getting to that, but I need to give you a bit more information so you really understand what I am going to be asking of you in a few minutes." Again she took a sip of water, if she played her cards right this was going to get so many people in prison who should be there and a number who had served their time out. "I pulled a number of big name cases, some medium level, and a few petty or misdemeanor cases, these are all of the ones I pulled. Of them, this big stack," she indicated the one she had placed the folder onto, "are sadly cases that were not done properly, or in the case of that folder not at all. The middle pile here," she indicated a stack of two. "These two have some discrepancies but can probably be easily fixed by talking with the prisoners once more. This last stack are cases that were done according to the law, and everything is in order. As you can see though, the larger stack is the one that has a lot of issues in it. Including the folder with no evidence report, no crime scene photos, no witness statements, and most importantly no trial papers."

"What do you want me to do? What can I do?" he asked staring at the large stack that frankly he was very angry that the people before them had left and probably hoped would never come to light.

"Very simply put Minister Fudge, I would like to call a special court date for all of the people in this stack. I want to rush this so no one can tamper with anything, and only call the emergency hearing for the first of August." She nodded as he looked at her agape, "yes very short notice as it is this Sunday. I had to be certain of these before I brought them to you, and I have only been working on this in my spare time at home. I was uncertain at first if I should do this in my office with so many people coming and going. The last thing I wanted was something in the rumor mill and this not being a grand event, as it would be."

"How would this be a grand event?" he eyed the woman warily.

"Simply put Cornelius, I bring the prisoners to the holding cells Saturday morning. They get cleaned up for their Sunday trials, and retrials in some cases." Again she sipped the water, "You contact the press Saturday, but only after the late paper has gone out. That way they cannot advertise this to the public, otherwise there might be some upset it is even going on, but you let the press to sit in on the cases. You can tell them that it was your administration that found that there were some miscarriages of justice, and that with Harry Potter the Boy-Who-Lived returning to us, that you had me personally look into the old cases so that everyone could once more know of the great job their government does to protect them. Sadly, however, we found these cases had not been done properly. New evidence has come up, as well as the fact that certain questions had not been asked. While Veritaserum is not something that can be trusted in court, a few of this large stack were given rather horrid questions where frankly no matter what you had spoken would have made you look guilty. It was with this that several of these people were tossed found guilty with. What is even worse is they are all Pure bloods," she said taking out her monocle to wipe it off. He was a sympathizer, and she knew that. It was quite obvious that Malfoy was pulling his strings now and again.

"That is not good at all," he said staring at the stack in shock. "How will having this surprise trial work then?" It was then she knew she had him and that while there was still a chance he would slip off the hook, if she worded it right he would go all in.

"Very quickly and efficiently. I have a list of questions that they were asked the last time, as well as new questions. With the only people knowing what is about to happen being you and me, no one can get to the criminals to murder them before we bring them into the courtroom. The men and women presiding will be surprised as will the media, and that shock will make them want to know what we are up to. I will personally ask the questions, while you can choose a member of the administration you trust, and I will have one of my people, as well as a court scribe go over what their answers were the previous time to see if they match, or even come close. With three people going over things and a mostly impartial group on the bench, not to mention the wizarding radio coverage and paper coverage, it will show the people of Wizarding Britain that we take their safety and justice seriously.

During all of this we may uncover more crimes, and change the sentences that they had been handed.

"Also during this when we bring up that our predecessors caused such a miscarriage of justice we can drag their names through the mud, and make ourselves look all the better for not only finding, but for doing the right thing and fixing their mess. We could also call them to stand trial and get them to pay a fine to each of the people they had locked up if we find that they should not have been locked up at all. That way no money comes out of the ministry to pay recompense, the people who caused and hid the miscarriage of justice pay for it all themselves. If all of these people are still found guilty and sent back to Azkaban, we can still fine them for the miscarriage and put that into the ministry coffers. Perhaps even announcing that some of that money would be used to create a new department, an oversight department that would have to be legally savvy, but would go through all cases to make certain that they were held up to the minister's strict standards, so that such a thing will never happen again, at least not so long as you are in office."

"This needs to be done," he said sitting back in his chair trying his hardest to look like a strong minister, even though he had just been played like a finely oiled violin. "People will remember this come election time as well." He grinned smugly at that thought of keeping this nice office and paycheck for doing very little in her opinion. "Now then, who did not get a trial, and yet was sentenced to Azkaban?"

"That will be the highlight of the day, the very last trial. We want people to start small with the miscarriage of justice and then get very upset when they find out that Sirius Black did not have a trial at all. Think of having the press there and if he does confess to everything, the people will be furious they did not have all the juicy details to begin with, but also the idea that anyone could be tossed to that rock with the dementors without a trial? That will stick in the craw of the public for a long time."

"The biggest case, and nothing!?" the minister went bug eyed with shock, this was going to be very big indeed. "Explain to me what you need, and I will get everything set up. Sunday we will welcome the Hero back, and the next day he will read how those that killed his parents and stood with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named are justly punished here, and how the ministry is going to place checks on its own court system so that this never happens to anyone ever again." He ended with a nod and a slap on the desk for emphasis, and for that Amelia had to bite the inside of her cheek. She had won this battle, but now she would have to talk with Fudge longer about who would be the best people to sit in judgment, how to make it appear randomly chosen, and so much other of what she could tell him. She would do her very best to make certain that Black had an actual fair trial, and got recompense for it as well.


	17. Chapter 17

AN – omg…. Sorry for the long wait… I had part of this typed up and I was so excited to start writing for Nano… and then I had an accident. I can't blame it on the snow and ice, but I fell, and literally dented my skull on the asphalt and gave myself a concussion….. still doing a bit of healing, and words aren't coming as quick…. But I am gonna try my best to get this rolling again. Though it is going to be slow, I have some memory issues from it, but that will get better…. On the plus side of this I am sure I looked comical as I went down, since my shoes went flying off in different direction…. Also I must say since this is my 1st time ever needing to go to the ER for myself, and I am 38… we will call this a win :) I will continue to stay as positive about it as I can, and thanks for all the reviews as I was unable to write, really made me keep trying.

Next chapter will end the prologue of the 'game' and the whole thing will hopefully move itself along as I write. Yes there will be more game stuff after the prologue is done. Let's be honest most game prologues are all about the controls and the story setup, so now the real fun can start! So next chapter will be the train and the trails starting, and if I don't get too wordy and such it should have the sorting and feast as well….. but I am not going to push myself too much, still have some healing to do.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

August 31st 1991

4:00pm Ministry holding cells, secure wing

"Just so, we will run a full check on each of them," Healer Clara said looking at the stern Amelia Bones. "Dezzi and I must be back to the school before the students arrive since we have taken up the post in their hospital wing."

"I understand," the monocled woman nodded as she looked out at the skin and bones that were once people, and now heavily sedated, but still chained to their cots.

"Also, you should know that the two of us have now taken the beginnings of the muggle classes on spotting child abuse. The Grangers got us into a class this past month on short notice. So expect reports from us fairly regularly. It may also behoove you, after all of this is over, of course, to try and see if we can get some of your more trusted Aurors trained in dealing with abused children." She glanced out at the people who would need care before the trials began in the morning, "I will get you that paperwork in a few weeks. I think we might have some fallout after this. No one really cares what happens to those in the maximum security wing, but I think once they see it in the paper, there may be a new outcry about how we treat our own."

"I know, and I am expecting that, but the minister is not. I sugar coated everything else I could think of, but once the guilty is passed no one cares anymore, and if it turns out that an innocent man had been sent there to suffer in this way," she looked at the woman beside her, "there will be an outcry. How could a pure-blood be sent without a trial, how could anyone let this happen, on and on it will go. I'm very interested in how well our dear minister is going to follow the dance instructions I gave him. True it will make him look good, but it will mean my teams will also get more funding as I will bring up how strapped for people we are and that may be one reason reports were filed so poorly back then. Also that better training may help ensure this as well, oh yes that budget meeting will be in my pocket this year," she smiled grimly as she looked out once more and her eyes landed on Bellatrix Lestrange.

The two woman stood and watched as Dezzi was carefully watching the health history of the mad woman.

"Clara! Amy! We have a BIG problem!" she called out, even though the quill was still writing the young woman could not believe what she was reading on the scroll before her. The two older women looked at one another and then raced towards the girl to see what might cause the younger woman to almost panic.

Meanwhile at the Granger home:

"Mom! What did you do with my Latin Primer?" Hermione called from the second floor landing.

"Check under your pillow!" Her mother called back from the kitchen chuckling.

"Is she like this before holiday as well?" Dudley asked from his seat at the dining table.

"Always," Emma said with a big grin. "This is her last minute panic packing, a Granger tradition that she gets from her father. Once she has her dinner, she will go back upstairs, unpack everything and go over her checklist once more as she repacks the entire thing. Then she will lock it up and bring it down next to the two of yours, and that will be the end of it."

"So that's why you had us do a checklist yesterday? So that she could start this and run herself out before bed?" Harry questioned.

"Right in one. She did the check then, but she is always worried that she will leave something important behind. Even though we can always ask Amelia to get it to the three of you if you did, Hermione is a stickler for trying to make sure she doesn't have to ask. I think she said it best last year to me when she called it her, 'learning to be independent-thing.' In other words she is practicing now for being a responsible adult, and I have not got the heart to break it to her that even the best of us forget things and act foolish at times."

"Ah, okay then," Harry said and then looked at the cover of his cousin's book. "Anything interesting in that book. Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them?"

"Yeah! I never knew that these things were all around me, and all over the globe. Not sure what I want to be when I get out of school now. I think I might work with magical creatures, seems really fun, and sometimes dangerous." Dudley was barely able to contain his excitement at the prospect.

"It would be really neat to see some of them up close," Harry said wondering if he had gotten close to any in the previous go. With a shiver he felt all the hairs on his neck and arms raise up.

 **Intuition Alert – Danger Harry Potter! Danger! - You have in fact have been close up with a great many in your last life. Not all of the situations were good. This has been a triggered message from trying to recall something you have not yet viewed but have lived through. Your Intuition skill has raised a point! Congrats!**

'Well that is a good thing,' he thought to himself. 'So I have been around them, which means Hermione and Dudley will as well. I already know about the troll, but with luck we have caused enough of a ripple that it wont happen at all.'

Soon enough Hermione came down chewing her bottom lip as if trying so hard to remember if she had missed anything in her tenth time packing.

"I think, this time, I have everything," she said as she slumped into her chair at the table.

"Food, because now it is time for dinner, and you last round of potions," Emma said as she brought the plates to the table for the kids.

"Where's Dad?"

"Oh he had to make a stop on his way home from the office," she told her daughter. "You three take your potions and eat up. I'm going to wait to eat."

"I can't believe I am actually excited about school," Dudley said as he began to cut the pork chop on his plate.

"This is all going to be so different for the three of you, but I am very glad that all three of you are excited. Just remember to look out and help one another. I'd hate for Amelia to have to show up there because the three of you got into some kind of trouble," Emma stated seriously to them. Thankfully all three swore that they would do their best at helping each other and try to keep all trouble to a minimum.

Later that night one the kids had gone to bed, Dan and Emma retired to the study and closed the door.

"Well?" she asked nervously.

"Well," Dan echoed as he sat in a chair, "I got the information. We have good news, and bad news. So stop pacing and sit down love."

"Sorry it's just the fact that we have been waiting for their hearing for so long it seems," she sat on the chair opposite her husband and leaned forwards. "Now spill, so I can get rid of my anxiety about all of this."

"Right," he cleared his throat. "Vernon is going to jail for quite the long time. Seems when his lawyer went there to get a character witness for him several people came to the police and filed charges against him. So that ended all paternal rights on Dudley, and it seems neither of them had any papers filed in order to have legal custody of Harry. That however gets even better news, but first Petunia." He paused and took a deep breath obviously choosing his words carefully. "Here is the somewhat bad news, she is not serving jail time."

"What?" Emma was aghast.

"I know, I had a fit when I found out as well, however she turned over evidence against her husband and against Marge, his sister. That got her off with probation, and a hefty set of rules to follow. She will be having counseling, anger management, job training, and will have to take the classes we did for fostering, however she will be doing them with a separate group of women who all want to get their children back. Seems they are trying a new approach to try and get the women to see that not only they can have hope, but even change themselves to be a better parent for their child.

"Now dependent on how she does while the kids are away at school she might have supervised visitation with Dudley, but not Harry. That time will have one of us, and the caseworker there, but again that is only if she manages to get through everything. There is also the fact that Amelia will have to go talk to her about her son being a wizard, and how she might react to that and just give up her rights."

"So when should we tell the kids?"

"Frankly I know we don't like hiding things, but I would rather wait this one out. Let her get back to the house and settled, and see what happens when Amelia talks to her. If we tell Dud that there is hope for his mum only to have her give up her rights, well," he let the end hang there unsaid.

"Yeah, that is a good point. Frankly I hope she does give up her rights to him, since he has been with us he seems to have come out of his shell, and shed that weight. In fact both he and Harry barely look like the two kids we brought home. Even Hermione has changed a bit, and she almost glows when she talks about magic and school," she smiled happily. "I will miss the three of them when they are gone, but at least we will the holiday together."

"That we will love, that we will. Now onto other great news," he said with a grin. "Seems that Lily Potter decided that they should keep a written version of their will, all the formal stuff that is, in the non-magical world. When it was brought up in court they had someone run to find the solicitor for the Potter and Evans families, and lo and behold were able to find the will.

"Now when I said I was the foster father for Harry, they started talking to me about how we would have to give the boy up to his legal guardian, when they fine one of them. I gave them the number of the squib caseworker who we have been dealing with, and that is what took so long. I called her after I left and I knew they were done talking with her. Harry will stay with us, and the cover is that they are going to hunt down each of the people on the list and interview them with foster standards since he has been through so much trauma already. So he will be staying with us, and Dudley as well unless that harpy of his mother can get herself straightened out and not see her own son as a, well, you know," he said with a shake of his head.

"Well then I will plan on all three of them home for Christmas," she nodded. "If that woman wants time with him, then I will go, with Amelia to do the supervised visit."

"Amelia is going to have to talk to Mrs. Dursley within the next week or two. I know she has something big happening tomorrow, but she has been keeping it very hush hush."

"Yes, well we best get some sleep, the train leaves at eleven sharp, but she wants to get the kids there about nine. We can stay and linger for a while, but as there are sure to be other students showing up early we shouldn't stay too long, leave the kids to make new friends and find a good spot on the train."


End file.
